Cyprus hospitality owners association Osika has urged President Nikos Christodoulides to extend the government’s support measures to the food and catering sector, arguing that restaurants and similar venues are an essential part of the island’s tourism offering.

In a letter to the president, Osika chairman Neophytos Thrasyvoulou expressed strong concern and disappointment over the latest package, saying the measures should support tourism in a more holistic way if the sector is to withstand mounting pressure.

He said the package made no provision for leisure centres, even though they are “an essential part of the island’s tourism offering”.

Thrasyvoulou added that “leisure centres do not operate separately from hotels and other tourist accommodation, but are part of the wider hospitality experience Cyprus offers visitors.”

According to the association, the sector has already sustained significant losses and continues to face serious pressure from higher operating costs and shifts in demand.

It warned that leaving the sector out of the support scheme creates unequal treatment and puts the viability of many businesses at risk.

Osika, a member of the employers’ federation Oev, which includes leisure centre associations from Paphos, Famagusta, Ayia Napa, Limassol, Larnaca and Polis Chrysochous, called on the president to reconsider the decision and move quickly with additional measures for the sector.

The association also said it was ready for dialogue and cooperation to help find what it described as “fair and effective solutions.”