Polis Chrysochous is taking the first steps towards being able to reopen its campsite as town mayor Yiotis Papachristofi on Saturday said he has officially put out a call for expressions of interest in renovating and operating the site.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, he said his municipality will accept offers until July 4, and that the cost of renovating and operating the campsite will reach around €4.5 million in total.

The renovation work is set to cost around €2.2m, while the operation of the campsite will cost just shy of €2.3m, with the lease set to be signed for its operation for 25 years with an annual rent starting at €60,000, increasing by five per cent every two years.

The contract signed will have an expiration date of February 28, 2055, with the initial signature being valid until 2040 and the right to renew and extend through to the expiration date.

Papachristofi said he hopes to find an investor “soon” and for the site to reopen as early as next year.

“The campsite is a popular holiday sport, and for us as a local authority, it is an additional tourist destination at a time when Polis Chrysochous is lacking in beds due to the absence of large tourist units,” he said.

He added that the campsite is “located in a privileged location with eucalyptus trees and an excellent beach which was improved with the construction of breakwaters”.

The campsite was initially opened by the now-defunct Cyprus Tourism Organisation and run by a private manager, before being handed over to the Polis Chrysochous municipality in 2011.

However, the site was then subject to a standoff between the municipality and the site manager, with the former unable to evict the latter, which considered itself an “institutional tenant” which was owed rights to the site on the basis of previous investments.

The municipality won absolute control of the site in 2023 after six years of legal wrangling.

Papachristofi had told the Cyprus Mail last year that renovation plans include the construction of new buildings, including a beach restaurant and three shower blocks, on the site of old buildings which are to be demolished, as well as the creation of a playground and recreation centre.

Additionally, he said, roads at the site will be paved, and a new clearly designated zone for caravans will be created with hookups for electricity and water.

He said there will be a total of 20 caravan parking spaces and 68 parking spaces for campers, with vehicles banned from the rest of the site.