By Paul E Hardisty
If you are lucky enough to have a window seat flying into Cyprus from Europe, your first sight of Aphrodite’s island will be the Akamas Peninsula. On a clear day, the sight is literally breathtaking: green forested hills, clear blue reefed waters, mysterious rock cliffs, and of course those oh-so valuable beaches. But after less than a minute, the Akamas is gone, replaced by a coastline of uninterrupted hotels, villas, roads, shopping centres and apartments.
The word “unspoiled” is used by many to describe the Akamas. Bypassed by the headlong tourist development of the last fifteen years, this small area of about 230 square kilometres, set at the far western tip of Cyprus, is home to a rich diversity of marine and terrestrial life, including at least 39 species of plants which are found no where else on earth. Loggerhead turtles, and the nearly extinct Green turtle, depend on the Akamas for their possible survival. Monk Seals (the most endangered seal on earth), once numerous in these waters, may still survive in a few hidden caves at the tip of the peninsula. Because there has been no development here yet, these habitats and ecosystems, which used to cover much of Cyprus, live on. The area is considered so important by naturalists, scientists, and international bodies, that a major independent 1995 report by the World Bank and European Union recommended that 145 km2 of the area, including the entire coastline, should be strictly protected as a national park Wilderness Area.
Most articles on Akamas begin like this. They appeal to your sense of right and wrong, of heritage, to your innate concern for nature and the birthright of your children. There is no question that the Akamas is unique, not only in Cyprus, but in all of Europe. But so what? Should we care? And if so, why? What should be done with this little shrinking corner of original Cyprus?
Because it is so beautiful, because it is the last wild frontier of Cyprus, the Akamas peninsula is on the “most wanted list” of many different groups. Influential landowners and developers want the area opened up for tourism development. Environmentalists, the European Union, the World Bank, and many citizens of Cyprus and the world, want it preserved. The Government seems to want a bit of both, with its current “mild development” stance. Many people are confused by the conflicting stories they hear, or simply don’t care. Unfortunately, however, the scientific and ecological facts are clear. The Akamas ecosystem is so fragile that only two choices exist: protect it, or develop it. Even “mild” development will eventually destroy the ecological integrity of the area.
In the end, money will determine who gets what they want. If Akamas is worth more dead than alive, it will be developed. If, on the other hand, it is worth more as a thriving ecosystem than as a site for roads and hotels, it will be protected and preserved for future generations. Economics will decide. And strangely enough, this is very good news for conservationists.
Tourist development has brought unprecedented prosperity to Cyprus, and dramatically improved standards of living, disposable income, and opportunity. In 2000, over 2.8 million tourists visited Cyprus, spending over one billion pounds. They stayed in hotels, ate in tavernas and bought souvenirs, from Polis to Agia Napa, generating over 20% of the islands’ GNP. Many of them rented cars and explored pristine Akamas. Those who did are likely to come to Cyprus again, especially if the Cyprus Tourism Authority (CTA) gets its way.
The CTA is developing measures to counter what they see as an erosion of growth in tourism revenue, caused by “standardised tourist development, abuse of the natural environment, and the erosion of the island’s cultural identity”. Their vision for the next decade is to promote Cyprus as a “quality destination“, focusing on the core themes of culture and environment, with the goal of increasing revenue generated per visitor, rather than increasing the number of visitors. The CTA wants tourists who are willing to pay more for a multi-dimensional cultural and natural experience, which includes walking, cycling, and experiencing nature, as well as the traditional “sun and sea” activities. The ultimate goal of this strategy is to produce the best possible economic return for Cyprus.
As the last major undeveloped coastal area in Cyprus, the Akamas should figure heavily into this vision of a high-quality tourist destination. It is a capital resource which will keep attracting tourists well into the next decades, even as other countries develop their own “sun and sea” markets. The Akamas, unique in the Mediterranean and the world, will increasingly help to define and differentiate Cyprus as a prime quality holiday destination. But if Akamas is developed, a large part of this dimension will be lost, and Cyprus will be in danger of becoming just one more sun destination, bidding against dozens of competitors to attract low-budget package holidaymakers. There is a decision to be made: conserve or develop. And the economic implications of this decision are significant for Cyprus and Cypriots.
It is estimated that over 150,000 people currently visit the Akamas each year with safari tours and other group excursions, generating as much as C£ 5 million annually for local businesses. Many more people visit the area in private and rented vehicles to enjoy the beaches and walking in the pine forests. At the moment, entrance to the area is free. But according to Jodi Newcombe, senior environmental economist with London-based consultancy Eftec, recent studies have shown a strong willingness to pay for the enjoyment of unique natural and cultural sites, from the Rocky Mountains in Canada, to Machu Picchu in Peru. There is little doubt that an entrance fee could be charged in Akamas, generating additional income and providing funding for conservation activities.
And what of the turtles and plants and seals? What about our children and grandchildren yet unborn? Those without a voice or vote, who depend entirely on us to shape their futures. Environmental economists have shown that there is a strong willingness to pay for the protection of endangered species world-wide. Organisations such as the World Wide Fund for Nature raise millions of dollars each year to work for the preservation of habitats and species. While putting a value in Cyprus Pounds on saving the Green Turtles or the Monk Seals is difficult, economists have begun to do just that, and some of the findings are astounding. In a landmark study, noted economist Robert Constanza placed the economic value of the world’s ecosystems at over US $ 30 trillion per year, almost equal to the GNP of the entire planet. So the ecosystem of the Akamas also has economic value, beyond its ability to attract tourists. It is home to unique species, maintains a healthy marine environment which benefits the local fishery, and cleans and purifies fresh water flowing through its rocks and soils.
In contrast, the real overall economic benefits of developing the Akamas are few. While it is sure that certain groups of people would gain, the overall economic effect for Cyprus is very likely to be negative. Building hotels and tourist accommodation within the Akamas would destroy the very thing that people are visiting the area to experience: unspoiled nature and solitude. Since these same hotels could easily be built somewhere else in Cyprus, providing the same expansion in numbers of beds, there is no overall economic advantage to putting them in Akamas. In fact it is very likely that development would cost Cyprus dearly. By removing the capital resource of Akamas as a unique tourist destination, and turning it into yet another series of beach resorts, there is very real danger that tourism overall would suffer. This is exactly what happened in parts of Spain, Mexico and Portugal, where over-development lowered tourist revenues sharply. If only one of every twenty tourists decided to take their holiday elsewhere, simply because the natural Akamas experience was unavailable, or perhaps in protest over the destruction of a unique habitat and its endangered species, the cost to Cyprus could be as much as C£50 million a year. EU displeasure could add to the cost.
Compare this to the Virgin Islands National Park in the Caribbean, another noted sun and sea tourism destination. Created in 1956, the park covers more than half of the island of St John, and also includes a significant marine preserve. Expanded again in the 1980’s, the park is now the major attraction in the area. Over three-quarters of all visitors identify the park as an important reason for their visit, and hotels on the rest of the island now enjoy among the highest per-bed revenues in the world.
Put together, it is not difficult to show that preservation of the Akamas as a pristine wilderness area, for all to enjoy, makes sound economic sense for Cyprus. The peninsula is environmental and tourism capital, which will go on earning interest for all Cypriots for decades to come. And as time goes on, and the world’s population increases, it will only become more valuable, especially if properly promoted and managed. In contrast, the overall economic cost of developing the peninsula could be considerable, perhaps as much as C£ 60 million each year in lost opportunity. Over ten years, the economic cost could be as high as C£ 1000 for every man, woman and child in Cyprus. This, in effect, would be what every Cypriot would give up, so that a few landowners and developers can get what they want in the Akamas. Much more effective, from an economic perspective, to compensate local landowners from the revenues generated by a protected Akamas.
And so, if saving the Green turtle and the Monk Seal, preserving a unique part of Cyprus’ heritage for our grandchildren, and protecting a rare and irreplaceable Mediterranean ecosystem do not appeal; if prospect of the gratitude of countless generations to come does not inspire, then consider the overwhelming economic argument. Protect the Akamas simply because it will put a lot more money into the hands of a lot more Cypriots. Truly, Akamas is worth a lot more alive than dead.
PEH
Nicosia and Calgary
1700 words