The south-eastern coastline of Cyprus stands at the threshold of a defining operational and economic transformation. Following the landmark 2024 local government reform that unified Paralimni, Deryneia, Frenaros, and Acheritou, the newly established Municipality of Paralimni – Deryneia is repositioning its maritime assets, coastal infrastructure, and year-round economic model.

At the centre of this strategy is the development of the Paralimni Marina, the sustainable management of 20 kilometres of coastline boasting 18 Blue Flag beaches, and a concerted push to attract international yachting, marine leisure, and alternative tourism.

In an extensive interview with Adonis Violaris, Managing Director of CSN, Mayor George Nikolettos a civil engineer specialising in earthquake-resistant structures and veteran public servant reflects on leveraging technical project expertise to drive regional infrastructure, elevate the island’s maritime profile, and balance heavy seasonal demand with environmental preservation.

Engineering Public Service and Regional Unity

Could you share a bit about your personal background and what initially inspired you to pursue public service and run for Mayor of Paralimni?

I was born and raised in Paralimni, a place with which I have always maintained a strong personal and professional connection. I studied Civil Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens, specialising in earthquake-resistant engineering, and subsequently established my own engineering and construction-related businesses.

My professional experience provided me with valuable knowledge in infrastructure development, project management and strategic planning. At the same time, I have been actively involved in local government for many years. I served as a Municipal Councillor of Paralimni from 2002 to 2016 and as Deputy Mayor from 2007 to 2011. I also had the opportunity to serve on the boards of important public organisations, including the Electricity Authority of Cyprus.

My decision to seek election as Mayor was motivated by my commitment to the development of my hometown and the wider region. The local government reform of 2024 presented a historic opportunity to bring together Paralimni, Deryneia, Frenaros and Acheritou under one municipality, creating new possibilities for coordinated planning and development.

I firmly believe that local government must be proactive, effective and responsive to the needs of its citizens. My ambition has always been to use my professional knowledge and experience to deliver practical results, improve infrastructure and public services, and create better prospects for the people who live and work in our municipality.

Balancing high-level public office with personal life is notoriously demanding. How do you recharge outside the office?

Being Mayor is a demanding responsibility, particularly in a municipality that is experiencing significant development and welcomes large numbers of visitors every year.

Whenever my schedule allows, I value spending quality time with my family and enjoying the natural beauty of our region. Living in an area with such an exceptional coastline offers opportunities to relax and appreciate the environment that surrounds us.

I also enjoy remaining connected with the local community. Meeting people, listening to their views and being part of everyday life in our municipality is something I genuinely value.

For me, maintaining a connection with family, friends and the place where I grew up is important. It helps me maintain perspective and reminds me that, ultimately, the purpose of public service is to improve people’s everyday lives.

When you reflect on your term in years to come, what enduring legacy do you hope to leave behind?

My greatest ambition is to leave behind a municipality that is stronger, better organised and capable of offering a higher quality of life to its residents.

The establishment of the Municipality of Paralimni – Deryneia in July 2024 marked the beginning of a new chapter for our region. We now have the opportunity to develop a unified municipality while respecting the distinctive history, identity and traditions of each municipal district.

I want future generations to inherit a municipality with modern infrastructure, efficient public services, improved educational, cultural and sporting facilities, and a healthy local economy that provides meaningful opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship.

Tourism will undoubtedly remain a major pillar of our development. However, I want our municipality to be recognised not only as an outstanding holiday destination, but also as an excellent place to live, work, invest and raise a family.

If, at the end of my tenure, we have strengthened the foundations for sustainable development, improved citizens’ everyday lives and established a clear direction for the future, I will consider that a meaningful contribution to our community.

Strategic Coastal Management: “Protaras Riviera”

The Protaras coastline is a cornerstone of Cyprus’s tourism economy. What are your administration’s priorities for upgrading coastal infrastructure while safeguarding natural marine assets?

The Protaras Riviera is one of Cyprus’ most valuable tourism assets and an internationally recognised Mediterranean destination. Our municipality has approximately 20 kilometres of coastline and 18 Blue Flag beaches, the highest number awarded to any municipality in Cyprus.

Protecting this exceptional natural environment while continuously improving the visitor experience is central to our development policy.

Our priorities include upgrading public infrastructure, improving beach facilities, maintaining high standards of cleanliness and safety, enhancing accessibility for people with disabilities, and improving the quality and functionality of public spaces.

Particular attention is also being given to road infrastructure, traffic management, pedestrian accessibility and the overall appearance of the tourist areas. These are essential considerations for a destination that experiences substantial seasonal increases in population and visitor numbers.

At the same time, we recognise that the future of tourism cannot depend exclusively on increasing arrivals during the summer months. Our objective is to strengthen the quality of our tourism product and distribute visitor activity more evenly throughout the year.

This philosophy is reflected in our new tourism development strategy, Protaras Riviera – The Sunrise Coast of Europe, developed in cooperation with internationally renowned brand strategist Peter Economides.

For the first time, we are promoting our municipality through a unified destination identity that extends beyond the beaches of Protaras and encompasses the cultural heritage, gastronomy, traditions, natural environment and authentic experiences of Paralimni, Deryneia, Frenaros and Acheritou.

Our message is simple: there are reasons to be here every day.

We want visitors to discover a destination that offers much more than an exceptional summer holiday, while ensuring that tourism development creates lasting benefits for the local community and respects the environment upon which its success depends.

 

Credit: Marina Projects

The Paralimni Marina: Catalysing Regional Marine Economy

The Paralimni Marina is a transformative infrastructure development. How will this project reshape the local economy and place the region on the international yachting map?

Paralimni Marina represents one of the most significant private investments in the wider Famagusta region and has the potential to become a major catalyst for economic development.

With a planned capacity of 300 berths, together with residential, commercial, hospitality and leisure facilities, the marina will introduce an important new dimension to our tourism industry.

Its significance extends beyond the development of modern berthing facilities. The project creates opportunities to attract a different category of international visitors, including yacht owners, sailing enthusiasts and travellers seeking high-quality maritime and leisure experiences.

This will generate additional economic activity in areas such as marine services, vessel maintenance, hospitality, retail, catering, transportation and professional services. We also anticipate new employment opportunities for local residents, both directly and indirectly, as businesses develop around the marina and its operations.

The project has experienced construction delays, and its facilities are expected to become operational progressively. Nevertheless, its long-term development potential remains substantial.

From a strategic perspective, the marina will help strengthen the position of the Protaras Riviera within the international yachting and maritime tourism market, complementing Cyprus’ existing marina infrastructure and enhancing the island’s appeal to international maritime visitors.

One of the most important opportunities is the potential to attract visitors beyond the traditional summer season. Maritime tourism can support economic activity throughout the year, benefiting local businesses and helping us move towards a more diversified tourism model.

Our responsibility as a municipality is to ensure that this major investment is properly integrated into the surrounding area and that its benefits extend to the wider local economy and community.

Marine Preservation and Alternative Blue Tourism

Beyond the surface, the region possesses rich underwater ecosystems and historic anchorages. How are you promoting dive tourism and marine heritage to extend the season?

One of our most important strategic objectives is to establish the Protaras Riviera as a leading destination for alternative and special-interest tourism, particularly diving, cultural tourism and outdoor activities.

Our coastline offers exceptional underwater landscapes, marine biodiversity, natural reefs, caves, artificial reefs and shipwrecks that can attract divers throughout much of the year.

We have recently published a dedicated Diving Guide, presenting 12 distinctive diving locations across our municipality. The guide provides practical information on each site, including its location, depth, level of difficulty and principal underwater attractions.

Among the locations featured are Green Bay, Cyclops Cave, the Nemesis III and Liberty shipwrecks, artificial reefs and other fascinating underwater environments.

This initiative was developed in cooperation with local diving professionals and represents an important step towards the systematic international promotion of our diving tourism product.

We have also published «The Marine Jewels of Protaras», a photographic guide to the marine life of our region, featuring the remarkable underwater photography of Sakis Lazaridis. The publication highlights the richness of our marine ecosystems and encourages greater awareness of the importance of their protection.

Equally important is our archaeological and cultural heritage. The ancient harbour of Leukolla, archaeological discoveries associated with the worship of Aphrodite, our religious monuments and the historic settlements of the municipality provide opportunities for visitors to experience thousands of years of history.

A particularly important recent initiative was our cooperation with the Neues Museum in Berlin and Humboldt University to obtain a scientifically accurate replica of the ancient head of Aphrodite of Leukolla, an exceptional archaeological discovery dating to the fourth century BC. Its presentation has contributed significantly to raising awareness of our archaeological heritage.

In parallel, we have developed dedicated tourist and archaeological guides to encourage visitors to explore the municipality beyond its coastline.

Our aim is to establish a year-round tourism offering based on distinctive experiences. Diving, archaeology, gastronomy, cultural events and outdoor recreation can attract visitors during periods when demand for traditional beach holidays is lower.

Ultimately, extending the tourism season will benefit hotels, restaurants, specialised tourism businesses and the wider local economy, creating more stable employment opportunities throughout the year.

 

Smart City Infrastructure and Eco-Tourism

Eco-tourism and active outdoor recreation are expanding rapidly. How are nature trails and coastal paths being managed, particularly adjacent to sensitive marine reserves?

The growing international interest in walking, hiking, cycling and nature-based experiences represents an important opportunity for our municipality.

Our region offers a remarkable combination of coastal scenery, traditional inland landscapes and areas of significant ecological value.

The wider Protaras area includes established walking routes such as the Profitis Elias–Konnos trail, while the nearby Cape Greco National Forest Park, which forms part of the Natura 2000 network, provides access to important natural habitats and exceptional coastal landscapes.

Our approach is to support the improvement, accessibility and promotion of existing routes while exploring opportunities to develop additional connections between places of natural, historical and cultural interest.

We consider proper maintenance, clear directional signage, visitor information and environmental protection to be essential elements of a successful walking and nature-trail network.

Cooperation with the relevant government departments and environmental authorities is particularly important, especially in protected areas where visitor access must be managed carefully to avoid damaging sensitive ecosystems.

We also want visitors to discover the municipality’s inland districts, where agricultural landscapes, traditional settlements and local heritage provide a different perspective on the region.

By connecting nature-based experiences with our wider tourism strategy, we can encourage visitors to explore more of our municipality, support small local businesses and strengthen tourism activity during autumn, winter and spring.

Our objective is to promote outdoor tourism in a responsible manner that protects biodiversity while allowing residents and visitors to enjoy and appreciate our natural environment.

Looking at rapid physical development, what is your approach to long-term sustainability, and what smart-city technologies are being deployed?

I believe that economic development and environmental sustainability must be pursued together. For a tourism destination such as ours, protecting the natural environment is not simply an environmental responsibility; it is also essential to our long-term economic competitiveness.

Our beaches, coastal landscapes and marine ecosystems are among the principal reasons why visitors choose Protaras. Preserving these assets must remain a fundamental consideration in every development decision.

Our strategy therefore places emphasis on efficient infrastructure, improved environmental management, energy conservation, the protection of public spaces and the adoption of modern technologies that make municipal services more effective.

An important example is our programme for replacing conventional street lighting with energy-efficient smart LED technology, contributing to reduced energy consumption and improved public lighting infrastructure.

We have also introduced ParaliesLive, an innovative digital platform that provides residents and visitors with real-time information about conditions at our beaches.

Through the platform, users can access live camera images, weather information, sea conditions and other useful data before planning their visit. The project is designed to progressively cover our main beaches through a network of 18 cameras, offering a practical service while promoting the Protaras Riviera to audiences around the world.

At the same time, our municipality is investing in its wider digital presence and in improving the accessibility of information and municipal services.

We consider digital transformation a continuing process rather than a single project. Our intention is to make greater use of technology to improve service delivery, support better resource management and simplify the interaction between residents, businesses, visitors and the municipality.

Looking ahead, our broader ambition is to develop Paralimni – Deryneia into a modern, efficient and environmentally responsible municipality, capable of responding to the challenges created by tourism growth while safeguarding the quality of life of its residents.

Our tourism identity, Protaras Riviera, is an important part of that vision. We are not simply promoting a holiday destination; we are building a stronger international identity for our municipality and creating opportunities that will contribute to the long-term development of both our region and Cyprus as a whole.