Great RESPONSIBILITY for the destruction of the Famagusta Tourist Area brought by
The Famagusta Parliament Members (2009)
With despair, because of the catastrophic events in the tourist area of Famagusta, I come back to the letter I sent to the members of our province in 1998 on the rational development of the tourist area of Protaras and Ayia Napa. I regret to say that, unfortunately, The Famagusta Parliament Members have been left to say or have done nothing, so that we have today's disaster. It is not the economic crisis that has created the problems of the Famagusta Tourist Area. We heard them talking about tourist marinas, golf, reading in the press about the establishment of a tourist academy and much more... These development tourism projects that you say should be done now; they were called 25 years ago. When are these finally going to happen? Will the recriminations and the auction of works begin, in words, of course, just before the 2011 elections?
Briefly 10 years ago, in 1998, documents on the problems of the Famagusta Free Tourist Area,
1. The lack of adequate car parking has led to many problems on the roads, such as causing nuisance by motorists and motorcyclists with immediate distress to visitors.
2. The lack of public spaces to serve tourists on the streets of the area resulting in tourists entering the various leisure centers or various hotel complexes.
3. Lack of tourist police. The creation of a tourist police would put order in our tourist area and give both locals and tourists a sense of security.
4. New infrastructure had to be created for the development of specific forms of tourism, such as:
- Sports tourism. I recommended that they be: Modern sports center, tennis, basketball and football courts, volleyball-bowls, indoor swimming pool, Futsal courts, and Sports Museum.
- Marine and Therapeutic Tourism. I suggested that they be: Tourist Beach and Marina. Also, a health center (SPA CENTER) in which there are fitness rooms, heated swimming pools, special quality food, etc. Finally, there should be a Museum of the Sea to attract marine and therapeutic tourism
- Cultural Tourism: I recommended that they be: Historical Museum, People's Neighbourhood, Museum of Folk Art.
5. Training and training of human resources. I have suggested that human resources are a key factor in improving the quality of tourism services.
6. Modernization of the infrastructure of tourism enterprises e.g. hotels, apartments, leisure centres, the creation of small fishing boats and the modernization of transport.
We need, Mr Famagusta Parliament Members, your own voices, both in the House and in the media, to create all these infrastructure projects, because the tourist areas of Protaras and Ayia Napa are or were unique.
We must all realize, Mr Famagusta Parliament Members, that the tourist areas of Protaras and Ayia Napa have nothing to show the European tourist, except the sun and the sea. Apart from the above that I have mentioned, the most important part of our tourism that is absent from our free area our culture our identity, almost, these have been eliminated.
In conclusion, I would like with this letter, Mr Famagusta Parliament members, to reflect on you so that we can rescue the areas of Protaras and Ayia Napa from unforeseen situations. I believe that, because in Cypriot society the parties play an important role, so your own parties can contribute to the formulation of the tourism policy of our regions.