The common branding that five private companies based and operating in the free province of Famagusta created last May under the title "Ayia Napa - Protaras" can be characterized as prophetic. On the occasion of today's announcement of the outgoing Minister of Interior Konstantinos Petridis for the creation of two municipalities in the province of Famagusta, one of which will be named "Ayia Napa - Protaras" and which will consist of the municipalities Paralimni, Ayia Napa, Sotira and Deryneia, the This branding is back in the news, proving the need to find a common brand to promote the region and create a "Cypriot Riviera" which will consist of the uniquely beautiful areas of Ayia Napa and Paralimni.
"Paradise Vs Heaven"
This "branding" was an initiative of the companies Paralimni Marina, Karma Developers, Oikos Group, Giovani Group and Sweet Home Estates.
The Famagusta Tourist, Commercial and Industrial Company, Paralimni Marina and four real estate companies, Giovani Group, Karma, Oikos Group and Sweet Home Estates, participate in this initiative.
The aim is to promote the Famagusta area as a "Cypriot Riviera", on a coastline of almost 35 km that starts from the river Liopetri, continues on the coastline of Ayia Napa, in Cape Greco and ends at Kappari. The area is already greatly enriched and is developing rapidly with important infrastructure projects, such as the two marinas of Ayia Napa and Paralimni that are under construction, the development of sidewalks along the coastal front of Ayia Napa and Protaras, with the unique national beauty. Cape Greco Park and the famous beaches of the region, twenty-six of which won the Blue Flag this year, out of sixty-six nationwide, which demonstrates both the quality of the water and the importance they play in the country's tourism product.
And while tourism development in previous years was limited to the two major tourist municipalities, Ayia Napa and Protaras, in recent years it seems to be considered an insurmountable need for the unified development of the region, with the aim of uniting the entire coastal front and the hinterland. This is expected to contribute to the strategy of uniform promotion of the region with a common branding and name, "East Coast Cyprus".
Recently, at the western end of the province, another four, approximately, kilometers of coastline were added, with the tourist development observed on the coastal front of Sotira in Agia Thekla but also with the announcement of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment for regeneration and landscaping. and the Liopetri River National Park, amounting to 8,5 million euros.
Tourism and investment challenges
The rapid residential development of previous years and the ever-increasing flow of tourist flow in the area, shaped the identity of the province of Famagusta which mainly shows recovery trends in the construction and hotel sector. The obstacles to the formation of the economy in the region have led to the parallel formation of specific social conditions for orientation in tourism professions, but also to investment in related tourism professions, such as the food sector which has flourished in recent years.
Therefore, there are many challenges that free Famagusta has to face in terms of maintaining and enriching the tourism product offered, but also investing in new industries which will contribute to the chronic demand for the extension of the tourist season.
As he explained to relevant article in the newspaper "SIMERINI" (14/6/2019) Anthoulis Kountouris, CEO of Paralimni Marina and one of the main instigators of the East Coast Cyprus campaign, the province of Famagusta, wronged by the Turkish invasion and a relatively new destination in the post-war period, was forced to fill the gap. after the illegal occupation of the city of Famagusta and the rest of the province, in a short period of time and without its own urban plan, many "temporary" but finally permanent constructions were made, with many illegal constructions and additions.
"These mentalities", as Mr. Kountouris states, "now change the smooth operation of the provincial offices of Land Registry and Surveying, as well as the Department of Urban Planning and Housing, create a better environment and with the upgrade through incentives, the product changes to better. "Services are being upgraded and infrastructure is being promoted at a rapid pace, so that the desired result no longer seems distant."
He also points out the fact that the province of Famagusta has attracted large investments, both from abroad but mainly from Cypriot businessmen, which shows that the domestic market trusts the region.
Promotions abroad
The inauguration of the new branding of the province of Famagusta took place during the presence of a delegation led by the mayor of Paralimni Theodoros Pyrillis at the MILP EXPO exhibition in Monaco last May. There the group, in addition to the action in the framework of the exhibition, had the opportunity to study ways to develop further collaborations for the benefit of the region. The main goal is the recognition of the common branding under the name "East Coast Cyprus", but also the simultaneous recognition of the region and its inclusion in the international tourist map, to be one of the most important tourist destinations in the Mediterranean.