Proposal for the opening of fenced town of Varosha to tourists

The breakaway regime will reportedly discuss a proposal for the opening of fenced town of Varosha to tourists

Turkish Cypriot Cyprus Today newspaper (midweek, 24.08.11) reports that the breakaway regime will discuss the opening to tourists of the occupied fenced town of Varosha, a Maras as the Turks call it. Under the title ‘Maras should be opened to public’, the paper writes inter alia, the following:

“A Proposal to open up Maras ? once the most famous resort on Cyprus ? to tourists is expected to be discussed next month.

The Turkish Cypriot Tourist Guides Association (KITREB) has submitted the proposal to the government and representatives are due to meet with Tourism, Environment and Culture Minister Unal Ustel…

KITREB wants tourists to be allowed to visit what has been an out-of-bounds military area.

Hasan Karlitas, leader of the organization, said: ‘Until a solution [is found], it would be a constructive step forward and a goodwill gesture to open the closed part tourist visits.

There was no restriction in and out of the fenced-off area of Maras, both for the locals and tourists during the late 1990s and the beginning of 2000s.

Many local people used to go to the beach at Derinya, located to the south. Tourists accompanied by tourist guides used to visit certain parts of Maras, and it was prohibited only to take photos at the town, as today.’

‘Various sightseeing tours were organized almost every week. Nevertheless, we had to stop the sightseeing following the ban on entering the area due to political reasons,’ he added.

‘Many tourists have been asking whether they can visit Maras,’ he continued.

‘Some sightseeing is still organized in the area that is open to tourists ? the Palm Beach, located next to the fenced-off area of the town.

‘There is a great interest among tourists to visit and know about this area.’

Mr Karlitas believes allowing tourists to enter would not only revitalize the sector, but also prove that even in its present condition Maras remains of social, political and economic value…”