Akamas Peninsula Polis and Latchi Cyprus

With Cyprus’ accession to the European Union, a sudden explosion in the island’s development has ensued. Property developers are buying large tracts of land and letting them lie dormant until they choose to capitalise on the investment by building property.

As the footprint of development expands past the boundaries of the established towns and tourist spots, more and more areas are coming under the threat of aggressive land development. Whilst growth is a great for the economy, we really should analyze what it does at ground level. What happens to locals who cannot afford to house themselves or buy there first property, what happens to the once quiet green areas when projects start scrambling for limited beach front area.

These areas which are being developed are traditionally game reserve regions which are popular with tourists visiting Cyprus to take in some fantastic scenery and get away from it all. One such tourist area is the Akamas Peninsula which is located on the Western tip of Cyprus. The Akamas is home to many scenic villages, the more well known being Latchi and Polis.

With the arrival of the large developers to the region, we hope the Cypriot government can keep development in check and ensure that Cyprus’ natural areas that also serve to promote it as a holiday destination, are not destroyed in the name of development. It must be done in a controlled manner to ensure the flavour and tradition of the area is preserved.