By Marinos Pavlikas *:
The Municipality of Ayia Napa intends to create an amphitheater of modern and unique architecture. The grandiose project will be created on the hill of Ayia Napa in the area near the Municipal Stadium, in a space that combines hosting sports and cultural events and a panoramic view.
The design of the project has started since 2015 and will have a capacity of 2.200 seats, making it the largest amphitheater in our country. Its impressive design includes a restaurant that will generously offer the visitor the panoramic view of the eastern Mediterranean, while according to the Mayor, Giannis Karousos, the goal is to create a cultural center not only for Ayia Napa but for the whole province of Famagusta.
Regarding the implementation of the project, at the moment the issuance of the Town Planning Permit is in the final stage while the Municipality expects from the Council of Ministers the change in the lease of the state land for the completion of the issuance of the Town Planning Permit. Then the Municipality of Ayia Napa will claim funding from either national or European funds in order to complete in a two-year schedule a project that will be a reference point in the cultural events of Cyprus.
Karousos: "We invest in Culture"
As Mr. Karousos mentioned in SIMERINI, the Municipality of Ayia Napa in recent years has set as a strategic goal the support of tourism with culture, something which, as he states, will create in the visitor a complete tourist experience. The infrastructure of the Municipality of Ayia Napa is moving in this direction, with the most characteristic example being the sculpture park in the "Strozilovounaro" area, near the Palaeontological Cave of Hippopotamus, a vision of Kiki Konstantinos realized in 2014 with the International Symposium today. from 145 sculptures created by 103 artists from all over the world.
Soon, as he said, the announcement of offers for the restoration of the Medieval Monastery is expected, which will be turned into an archeological museum and will include a research and conference center. Recently, the Environmental Information and Education Center in Cape Greco was inaugurated, which will significantly contribute to the upgrade of the Cape Greco National Forest Park, as well as to the information of locals and foreigners.
Undoubtedly, the works of significant cultural value that have been created or have been wheeled in Ayia Napa, contribute to the change of identity for a tourist resort that until now was directly identified with a different cultural tourist current. At the moment Ayia Napa has included in the calendar of events of important interest cultural events, such as the Medieval Festival, the Street Art Festival, the International Ayia Napa Festival, the Water Festival, the Sculpture Symposia and the Seferis Symposium which the Municipal The council decided to revive, thus honoring the Nobel Prize-winning poet who dedicated two of his poems to Ayia Napa (Ayiannapa I and Ayiannapa II).
Ready to claim the title of Cultural Capital
With the investments that have been made in the field of Culture, a possible claim for the title of Cultural Capital by the Municipality of Ayia Napa could not but be a vision. According to Mayor Giannis Karousos, the city has now created such infrastructure, most importantly that of the amphitheater, that in 2030, during the next claim of our country for the title of European Capital of Culture, the Municipality of Ayia Napa will be an important claimant of the institution .
As he mentioned, the Municipality did not manage to qualify as a candidate for the European Youth Capital this year, but nevertheless the participation was an important experience that will lead to the writing of a better proposal in the future.
Another important recognition for Ayia Napa is the donation from the International Academy of Culture and Arts of Russia of a gilded three-meter sculpture by the renowned Russian artist Petr Stronsky. The sculpture will depict one of Stronsky's famous angels holding the Virgin of Ayia Napa in his hands. According to the Mayor, the donation was made due to the recognition of the work produced in Ayia Napa in terms of culture but also because of the close relations that Russia maintains with our country, since the International Academy of Culture and Arts of Russia maintains a branch in Cyprus. .
Focus on alternative and quality forms of tourism
Ayia Napa's strategic goal for a radical change of identity and quality of tourism is a result of the effort made by the local authority to focus on alternative and quality forms of tourism.
Already during the winter months there is a significant emphasis on sports tourism. In the coming years the Municipality will invest an amount of over one million for the upgrade of the sports center, since the income will be much higher for the city and the businesses, considering the fact that the 17 football stadiums host 140 football teams per year. for preparation purposes, as well as more than 20 thousand visitors in April for the football tournament, in which more than 350 teams participate, of which 22 from abroad.
Through these efforts to invest in alternative forms of tourism, Ayia Napa has recorded in the last two years, according to Mr. Karousos, a 17% increase in arrivals while it has 27 thousand beds. This translates into a € 640 million contribution to the Cypriot economy as it has the largest portion of the overnight pie, at a rate of 28%.
The prospects in the field of quality tourism are also great. A more typical example is the attraction of maritime tourism which will take place until 2019 with the completion of another grand project, the marina of Ayia Napa. The Mayor told "S" that the project of € 220 million will contribute to a major development for Ayia Napa and the surrounding area of Sotira, as it would be a model for future perimeter development.
According to Mr. Karousos, Ayia Napa cannot lose the character of entertainment from its tourist product. but the goal is to turn it into cosmopolitan entertainment. Therefore, his vision is, as he states, to turn Ayia Napa into the best and most cosmopolitan resort in the Mediterranean.
Source: TODAY's Sunday (9/7/2017)