Ataoğlu's Call to Turkey: "Choose Cyprus for Your Vacation, Not Greece"

Speaking to the Turkish media, Ataoğlu highlighted the affordability and quality of holidays in Cyprus, encouraging Turks to visit "their own island" instead of the Greek islands.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Environment, Fikri Ataoğlu, pointed out that their primary target with this initiative is Turkey's 85 million citizens. He said, "We share the same language, religion, and currency. Just as Turkey supported Northern Cyprus years ago, we now ask them to support their own island. We invite Turkish citizens to Northern Cyprus, which offers affordable and high-quality vacation options, rather than visiting Greece and other islands."

Ataoğlu shared that Northern Cyprus welcomed 3 million tourists in 2023 and aims to increase this number to 4-4.5 million with a 40-50% growth this year.

Seven New Hotels to Open

Northern Cyprus currently has a bed capacity of 80,000, with 30,000 in hotels and 50,000 in residences. To accommodate the increasing number of tourists, Ataoğlu mentioned that they are continuously expanding bed capacities, with significant contributions from Turkish investors. Brands like Limak, Kaya, and Concorde are working on their second hotel investments. Over the next three years, seven new hotels are expected to open, adding 15,000 more beds.

To boost the number of tourists, the Northern Cyprus administration has also diversified transportation options, increasing ferry services from Mersin, Anamur, and Taşucu to the region.

"Our DNA is Being Altered; Turks Should Invest in Housing"

In an interview with Akşam newspaper editor Özgül Öztürk, Minister Ataoğlu discussed the ongoing housing investments in Northern Cyprus, noting the significant interest from foreign investors. He expressed concerns about the potential disruption of the island's "DNA" due to the influx of foreign buyers. To address this, a new regulation has been implemented, allowing foreigners to purchase only one property on the island, while Turkish citizens can buy up to three properties. Ataoğlu encouraged Turks to direct their investments to the "motherland," pointing out that housing investments in Northern Cyprus typically see returns within 5 to 10 years.

Northern Cyprus plans to implement a tourism accommodation law by the end of the year to register the approximately 50,000 beds currently being used for Airbnb and short-term stays.