Forestry Department launches €3m tender for Akamas visitor infrastructure

Nicosia, Cyprus. The Forestry Department has launched an architectural tender for a €3 million project to develop car parks, kiosks and shops in Akamas, aiming to serve thousands of visitors and reduce pressure on the sensitive ecosystems of the national forest park.

Visitor management plan

According to a Philenews report on Wednesday, entrance and exit points will provide information to visitors and operate as rest areas.

The department said the project is intended to organise visitor access and protect the environment.

Planning in 2021 had provided for 14 information and recreation points with extensive infrastructure across a large area. The revised plan reduced the number of points to eight.

Six locations included

The tender provides for facilities at six locations: Aspros Potamos, Avakas, South Lara Bay, Aphrodite’s Baths, Smiyies and Fontana Amorosa.

The Forestry Department said the revised plan would have a smaller environmental footprint and significantly reduce visual nuisance. It said the design follows cabinet guidelines and environmental parameters set by involved parties and non-governmental organisations.

Funding and timetable

The current open tender, which has a September 25 deadline, seeks advisers for the project under a €180,000 budget. The overall project is valued at €3 million and will be co-funded by the EU’s Thalia programme for 2021-2027.

The adviser will carry out research and planning, prepare technical specifications and an analytical quantitative report, draft the construction tender documents and supervise implementation.

This preparatory stage is to be assigned within 20 days of the call for bids and is expected to take about three years to complete.

Design requirements

The final project is intended to be discreet, functional and compatible with the character of the area. It will include prefabricated structures that can be dismantled when necessary.