Ayia Napa, the famed Cypriot resort town synonymous with vibrant nightlife and sun-drenched holidays, is now at the centre of a serious investigation following explosive allegations of exploitation and sexual harassment targeting young British seasonal workers. Cyprus Police have officially launched a probe, spurred by a recent Channel 4 documentary that meticulously documented a disturbing array of alleged malpractices, from illegal employment to deeply unsettling demands for sexual favours.
The documentary, titled "Untold: Undercover Working Holidays," brought to light a starkly different reality behind the alluring prospect of a "working holiday" package for numerous young Britons. Investigative journalist Tir Dhondy, posing as a hopeful worker, covertly recorded interactions that suggest a systematic disregard for worker welfare and legal compliance. Reports indicate that nightclub proprietors and managers in Ayia Napa allegedly solicited sexual advances in exchange for securing employment, with one manager reportedly offering immediate hiring in return for oral sex. Furthermore, another employer allegedly admitted to exposing female workers' breasts, and a go-between confessed to coercing women into intimate relationships to secure their jobs.
Beyond the harrowing accounts of sexual harassment, the documentary shed light on dire living conditions and employment irregularities. Workers purportedly endured overcrowded and substandard accommodation, often lacking basic amenities such as running water and plagued by mould and insects. The cost of this inadequate housing was so exorbitant that it frequently consumed the entirety of their meagre earnings, leaving many feeling ensnared in a financial trap. Adding to their precarious situation, workers were allegedly encouraged to operate without the requisite work permits, a necessity for British nationals in the EU following Brexit. The sale of illegal nitrous oxide was also cited as a practice some workers were pressured into undertaking.
The Cyprus Police, acting on their own initiative following the documentary’s broadcast on January 13, are now meticulously reviewing the evidence presented. Famagusta district police spokesperson Andreas Constantinou stated that the "specific article and video came to the attention of the police, and it was deemed appropriate for the police to conduct an ex officio investigation in order to determine whether any criminal offenses have arisen." This investigation aims to ascertain the extent to which criminal offences have been committed, potentially implicating recruitment agencies in the UK and British companies that market these work and accommodation packages.
The revelations have resonated beyond Cyprus, with similar patterns of exploitation having been reported in other popular European party destinations like Zante and Magaluf. Andrew Wallis, CEO of the anti-slavery organisation Unseen, highlighted the systemic nature of the problem, noting that "What we observe happening in Cyprus is that accommodation is linked to work, but the housing is always substandard. Most of the time, the cost of accommodation essentially wipes out what they can potentially earn, and very quickly they feel trapped." He further emphasised that work is illegal for British nationals in the EU without a specific visa, a crucial detail often omitted by package providers.
In response to the mounting concerns, Ayia Napa Mayor Christos Zannettou has pledged to engage with the Minister of Justice and Public Order and the Chief of Police. His stated aim is to identify illicit businesses and address the issue of unsuitable worker accommodation, signalling a commitment to rectifying the situation and safeguarding the resort's reputation. The investigation's findings are anticipated to have significant implications for the oversight of Cyprus' seasonal labour market and could prompt a re-evaluation of how such work holiday schemes are regulated and promoted, both locally and internationally.