The state of the Cyprus economy is heavily dependent on tourism.

To date there are few visible eco-tourists: although the numbers of birders and other nature lovers visiting the islands is gradually increasing. There are marvellous areas well away from the packed resorts of Ayia Napa, Limassol, Protaras et al., even if the 'Pajero cowboys' ignore nature reserve signs and policing is little evident.

The Cyprus Conservation Federation - Proact's main partner on Cyprus - is very involved in promoting 'soft' tourism. See:

The CCF Website

We should remind the Minister for Tourism that the widespread and illegal trapping and hunting of small birds are a slur on the island "Where the Gods go on holiday"!

[Mails can be 'filtered out' by title if the recipient(s) are being snowed under. Vary the title in the subject box if you have time - and a vivid imagination!]

MAIL TO MINISTER FOR TOURISM

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Mailing Methods

MANY TOURISTS WILL BOYCOTT THE KILLING FIELDS

To:

Mr Nicos Rolandis
Minister for Commerce, Industry and Tourism


Dear Minister,

It is a pity that you have had no time to reply to the concerns of many people, in Europe and elsewhere, about the regular, illegal and barbaric trapping and killing of migrant birds.

It will not have escaped your professional notice that an there is an increasing number of people seeking an alternative to a holiday on a packed beach; or who seek a still intact natural environment in our highly industralised and technologically advanced continent. The so-called 'eco' or 'soft' tourism.

The island Cyprus is well fitted to offer such opportunities; more so should the current talks on reunification be successful. The eco-tourists will however seek other destinations when they are made aware of the savage and illegal massacre of millions of migrating song birds every year.

We urge you to use the influence of your office to promote a hard line against this out-dated and criminal activity. This will bring benefits to Cyprus, and Europe as a whole, in the medium and long term.

[We ask you to take this letter seriously. Not all Europeans are capable of expressing themselves perfectly in English but the content and sentiments of this letter reflect our views exactly.]

or

[We ask you to take this letter seriously. Not all of us have the time to compose individual texts; but the content and sentiments of this letter reflect our views entirely.]


yours sincerely,


[Name and Address - essential!]

ADDRESS IN FULL:

Mr Nicos Rolandis
Minister for Commerce, Industry and Tourism
6 A. Araouzos St.,
1424 Lefkosia (Nicosia)
Cyprus


e-mail: ministercom.ind.tourism@cytanet.com.cy

If you send an email separately, please copy it to:

This helps us, at Proact and on Cyprus, to monitor the scope of the campaign and increase our effectiveness in future.

Thank you,

David Conlin
Proact Coord

The Cyprus Government