Insight CYPRUS BUILT FOR A FLOOD OF TOURISTS
- BUT EXPERINCING A DROUGHT The Barfra Tourism Investment Project was to create an oasis along the Turkish Cypriot north-east coast, with mythologically-styled luxury resorts attracting mass tourism to the area. The reality has been frustratingly slow, but there’s still signs of life...
The Turkish Cypriot coastline along the north- east of Famagusta has been the choice location for the Cyprus Turkish Investment Development Agency (YAGA), to establish its own Las Vegas style casino destination, resplendent with five star hotels and 18 hole golf courses. YAGA is the agency charged with facilitating large local and foreign investments in the north, but to date it’s grand plans for the island have yet to fully materialise.
Plans to develop the coastal stretch were first unveiled in 2003 as the ‘Bafra Tourism Investment Project’. Little development has actually taken place for over a decade, though the project has recently been given a new lease of life following a progress review of developments by the authorities. The decision has been taken to impose stricter deadlines for implementation and completion of planned activities in the area.
In some instances, the authorities have even revoked previously signed contracts and leased the freed-up plots anew in a bid to revitalise and deliver the grand vision for a centre for international tourism and gambling.
The project aims to increase the north’s tourism capacity by at least 15,000 beds. The long-term objective is for the entire Vokolida beach area to become one large resort complex. This would comprise a mix of luxury hotels and casinos, their designs mostly inspired by and modelled on themes from ancient history or mythology.
The Turkish Cypriot regime gave the go ahead to build on land belonging to the government of the Republic of Cyprus, previously classified as low level forest. At the beginning of the millennium, the designated area’s status was changed to ‘special tourism development.’ The new classification meant that the land could be developed and built upon, which has raised serious environmental concerns.
In 2003, the area was divided up into 14 plots and sold as 49-year-long leaseholds to 10 investors. Most were private companies from Turkey.
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Eleven years on and only two of the planned hotels are up and running and no one seems happy with the project. Of the two functioning hotels now operational, one, the 734-room Kaya Artemis, resembles the ancient Temple of Artemis from Ephesus, while the other, the 684-room Noah’s Ark (pictured right). Both have been struggling since they opened in 2007 and 2011 respectively. According to Noah’s Ark deputy director, Zafer Keskin, the authorities in the north failed to deliver on what they had promised. “Look around, we are in the middle of nowhere. The planned development has not happened. Costs of running a hotel here are twice as high as in Turkey,” commented Mr. Keskin.
The Turkish Development Bank put around €224m into the project and the plan was that all the proposed hotels would be built by 2007. Money was also put aside for new roads and related infrastructure.
The venture was supposed to strengthen the image of northern Cyprus as a tourism destination and create new jobs and income opportunities for the local population. The expectation was that there would be openings in the burgeoning hospitality and tourism industry for local workers and a commensurate growth in demand for local agricultural produce to supply a whole new range of catering outlets including high-end restaurants.
Eleven years on and only two of the planned hotels are up and running and no one seems happy with the project. Of the two functioning hotels now operational, one, the 734-room Kaya Artemis, resembles the ancient Temple of Artemis from Ephesus, while the other, the 684- room Noah’s Ark (pictured right). Both have been
struggling since they opened in 2007 and 2011 respectively.
According to Noah’s Ark deputy director, Zafer Keskin, the authorities in the north failed to deliver on what they had promised. Speaking to local news in Cyprus, he recently complained: “Look around, we are in the middle of nowhere. The planned development has not happened. Costs of running a hotel here are twice as high as in Turkey. Promised subsidies haven’t materialised. Electricity is expensive. Water can be a problem.”
Operators are doing what they can too. The company owning Kaya Artemis has several resorts in Antalya and to help sustain revenue flow in its northern Cyprus hotel, the company now offers clients a combination package enabling those holidaying in the chain’s Turkey- based establishments to spend some of their vacation on the island.
Noah’s Ark on the other hand, isn’t part of a larger
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