The province of Famagusta acquires its own golf course, with plans for its implementation continuing at an intensive pace.
According to KYPE, the creation of a golf course in the province of Famagusta is a wish of the residents, tourism agents and businessmen of the area, with the aim of enriching and upgrading the tourist product, to address the problem of seasonality and further boosting its economy. of the area.
On May 25, the Department of Forestry sent a letter to the relevant Government Departments requesting the lease of forest land within the municipal boundaries of the Municipality of Paralimni and the relevant application of the company "Ayia Napa Forest Golf Ltd" to the Department of Forestry. Rural Development and Environment, dated 11/5/2020 for the purposes of creating a golf course and building the necessary facilities for the administration and smooth operation of the stadium.
According to the information of KYPE, the effort to create a golf course in free Famagusta, dates back to 1997 under the rule of the late Glafkos Clerides. However, the project, after going through many phases and difficulties and successively changing four positions until today, ended up taking place in the wider area of Protaras.
The letter from the Department of Forestry was sent, among others, to the Deputy Minister of Tourism, the Mayor of Paralimni, the Prefect of Famagusta and the competent Government Services and Departments, Hunting and Fauna Service, Department of Land Registry, Department of Landscaping and Spatial Planning, Department and Department of Public Works.
The area, which is outside the area of "Community Site" and the "Special Protection Zone", is expected to accommodate an area of about 771.000 sq.m., development with a golf course and mild residential, commercial and tourist development that is expected to contribute to further upgrade of the area of Protaras and the wider area in combination with the marinas of Ayia Napa and Paralimni, thus contributing to the extension of the tourist season but also to the creation of hundreds of jobs for the residents of the area, both during construction and during project operation.
It is noted that the company "Ayia Napa Forest Golf Ltd" is already in contact with one of the largest golf courses in the world, with the aim of creating a stadium of international standards, which will help attract not only thematic tourism but also international events. which will attract further visitors to Cyprus.
At the same time, the design of the company for a golf course is based mainly on the Study for the National Tourism Strategy which began to be implemented by the Ministry of Tourism until 2030 and more specifically in one of the priorities given by Cyprus for the promotion of golf. as one of the new types of thematic tourism.
As stated in the National Tourism Strategy, “the development of golf courses is an effective way to develop the quality of the tourism product. On February 16, 2005, at a meeting of the then Council of Ministers, it was decided to create 14 golf courses in Cyprus, of which twelve in Paphos - Limassol, one in Larnaca and one in the province of Famagusta.
Today, four golf course facilities are in full operation in Cyprus, all in the province of Paphos (two in Kouklia, one in Paphos and one in Tsada), while the procedures and works for the other permits that have been approved are in progress.
In previous reports on the issue, both businessmen and hoteliers in the province of Famagusta stressed that the creation of the golf course is essential for the economic, tourist, commercial, business, social and cultural development of the region.
The President of the Republic Nikos Anastasiadis in his greeting speech in February 2019 during the inauguration ceremony of the Famagusta Police Department, listing the major development projects implemented in the province, expressed the hope that "the government will soon be able to announce its implementation. construction of a golf course, which will surely be licensed this time ", adding that local authority and state" partners will succeed so that this project will soon become a reality ".
According to the information of KYPE, the company “Ayia Napa Forest Golf Ltd” started the consultations with all the involved Departments with the aim of promoting the construction of the project, after all the necessary environmental studies have been submitted.
The company notes that the aim is to develop gently, with respect for the environment and with the aim of creating a project that will contribute to the sustainability of the tourist product, will have a strong ecological identity, and will upgrade the area.
Source: KYPE