Tourists cancel visits to north amid quake fears

Tourists who had planned to visit the north of the island are cancelling in droves after “statements by experts” predicting another major quake in the region, Turkish Cypriot press reported on Friday.

According to Halkin Sesi newspaper, cancellations were up to 80 per cent in February and were 50 per cent for March.

It cited travel agency Puzzle Travels’, Omer Alkan as saying cancellations from third countries were at 60 per cent and at 50 per cent from Turkey for the month of March.

A representative from the Kyosezade tourist office spoke of a “serious decrease” in bookings, saying they had an 80 per cent cancellation rate in February and 40 per cent for March.

Travel agents said they could not predict what would happen in the coming period.

Last month’s earthquakes in Turkey killed at least 45,000 people, including 49 Turkish Cypriots who were there at the time. The quake was strongly felt in Cyprus as well.