22/04/2020
COVID-19: MESSAGE TO GUESTS
THESE ARE DIFFICULT AND UNSETTLING TIMES FOR ALL OF US: HOLIDAYMAKERS, OWNERS, RENTAL AGENTS AND ALL THE LOCAL HOSPITALITY BUSINESS IN KALKAN. EVERYONE IS GOING TO LOSE OUT FINANCIALLY DUE TO FLIGHTS BEING CANCELLED.
WHAT IS WORSE... WE SIMPLY DO NOT KNOW HOW LONG THIS SITUATION IS GOING TO PERSIST AND SO IT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE - AT THIS TIME - FOR OWNERS TO MAKE ANY FIRM RE-BOOKING ARRANGEMENTS FOR PEOPLE WHOSE INITIAL BOOKINGS HAVE HAD TO BE BE CANCELLED DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND ANYONE'S CONTROL.
IF YOU, AS A CUSTOMER, ARE CONCERNED ABOUT YOUR BOOKING YOU SHOULD SPEAK DIRECT TO THE OWNER TO DISCUS YOUR CONCERNS. EVERY OWNER HAS THEIR OWN STANCE, ACCORDING TO THEIR TERMS AND CONDITIONS. MANY, BUT NOT ALL, WILL BE HAPPY TO DEFER TAKING ANY BALANCE PAYMENTS UNTIL THEY ARE CERTAIN THAT THE BOOKING WILL GO AHEAD. CLEARLY, THIS WOULDN'T APPEAR TO BE THE CASE FOR APRIL OR MAY BOOKINGS BUT WE SUGGEST KEEPING ALL OPTIONS OPEN, UNTIL IT IS NECESSARY TO MAKE A FIRM DECISION.
WHERE A CANCELLATION IS INEVITABLE THEN, WHERE POSSIBLE, MOST OWNERS WILL HOLD OVER DEPOSITS TO ANOTHER BOOKING IN THE SAME ACCOMMODATION, EITHER LATER THIS YEAR OR IN 2021 - SUBJECT OF COURSE TO AVAILABILITY. BEYOND THAT, GUESTS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK REDRESS FROM THEIR TRAVEL INSURERS IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.
WE HAVE NO JURISDICTION OVER HOW INDIVIDUAL OWNERS ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. CLEARLY, THERE IS A NEED TO BALANCE THE NEEDS OF THE GUEST WITH THE NEEDS OF THE ACCOMMODATION OWNERS - WHO STILL HAVE ONGOING EXPENSES IN KALKAN AND NEED TO SUPPORT THEIR LOCAL MAINTENANCE SUPPLIERS, EVEN IF THEIR BOOKINGS FOR 2020 DO NOT MATERIALISE. VERY OFTEN, BOOKING DEPOSITS WILL ALREADY HAVE BEEN ALLOCATED BY OWNERS TO SOME OF THESE ONGOING EXPENSES. THERE REALLY IS NO EASY ANSWER HERE.
OVERALL, WE ALL NEED TO TRY AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND HOPEFULLY WE WILL STILL HAVE WONDERFUL KALKAN TO COME BACK TO WHEN THIS UNPRECEDENTED CATASTROPHE IS BEHIND US - WHENEVER THAT MAY BE.