Cyprus-Forum.com

[georgios100]

With the banking sector in ruins, Cyprus must look for alternates for long term growth.
Natural resources of copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble and clay earth pigment are all we have.
Agriculture, fisheries and manufacturing deemed insignificant to make a difference.
Gas deposits are promising if ever materialize.
Semi arid climate, lots of sun and wonderful beaches is the key.

The tourism, hospitality and entertainment sectors are the only way out of this mess. Incentives must be given
to foreign/domestic investments towards building of hotels, marinas, holiday homes, golf courses, casinos and
convention halls. Examples of such incentives can be found in the Caribbeans islands region with great success.
Cyprus is the only island in the Med that can implement/adopt the Caribbean style economic recovery.

So how do you attract these investors/developers?

Well, Cuba did this while under USA embargo. Joint venture agreements imply the creation of a company jointly (50-50, or 51-49) owned company between a Cuban partner and a foreign partner. As a rule the Cuban partner offers the land, and the foreign partner takes care of the capital investment.
Large land owners in CY are the state and the church.

[Get Real!]

I’m surprised you haven’t suggested mari-jou-hanna plantations stretching from Paphos to Nicosia!

[DrCyprus]

Cyprus should take advantage of our location. We should also become a language learning hub for the world.

[Paphitis]

oh great, so the only thing Cypriots can look forward to is careers as waiters, taxi drivers, Black Jack Dealers, masseuses, and kolokasi growers.

Georgios100, I don't like your negativity. For far too long we have been doubters and never reached our full potential.

[Nikitas]

The banking sector is not in ruins. Business goes where it suits it best. Cyprus has a lot to offer and the banking is secondary to other reasons why business chooses Cyprus.

"Building hotels" etc, is the exact opposite of what needs to be done. We need a massive programme of de-building and land rehabilitation if we want high end tourism. A hotel surrounded by orchards is more valuable than a hotel surrouned by hotels. As for marinas, in Cyprus they have limited scope. The coastline is relatively small, and the nearest attractive crusing area is 200 miles away, that translates to two days sailing to get there. Our marinas are for day sailing and limited coastal cruising. What would be a good business is itnernational dinghy sailing schools and training during the winer months, when the northern countries have limited daylight and frozen seas. Winter sports training is already being exploited by some knowledgeable people in the RoC.

Agriculture, focusing on high quality products is probably a better bet than most realise. Assuming that there is a credible certification system it can offer a lot more than it does now.

Manufacturing has a future if we change our cultural attitude towards "dirty" jobs. Modern engineering systems, like CNC machining and 3D modelling offer new opportunities, but the problem there is that our politicians do not undersand such things, they are mostly lawyers, political science grads or totally unskilled demagogues.

As for exporting raw natural resources with no local value added, it is worth recalling a quote from Lee Iaccocca, former head of ChryslerQ "what do you call a nation that exports raw material and imports manufactured goods? A colony!"

[B25]

The banking sector is not in ruins. Business goes where it suits it best. Cyprus has a lot to offer and the banking is secondary to other reasons why business chooses Cyprus.

"Building hotels" etc, is the exact opposite of what needs to be done. We need a massive programme of de-building and land rehabilitation if we want high end tourism. A hotel surrounded by orchards is more valuable than a hotel surrouned by hotels. As for marinas, in Cyprus they have limited scope. The coastline is relatively small, and the nearest attractive crusing area is 200 miles away, that translates to two days sailing to get there. Our marinas are for day sailing and limited coastal cruising. What would be a good business is itnernational dinghy sailing schools and training during the winer months, when the northern countries have limited daylight and frozen seas. Winter sports training is already being exploited by some knowledgeable people in the RoC.

Agriculture, focusing on high quality products is probably a better bet than most realise. Assuming that there is a credible certification system it can offer a lot more than it does now.

Manufacturing has a future if we change our cultural attitude towards "dirty" jobs. Modern engineering systems, like CNC machining and 3D modelling offer new opportunities, but the problem there is that our politicians do not undersand such things, they are mostly lawyers, political science grads or totally unskilled demagogues.

As for exporting raw natural resources with no local value added, it is worth recalling a quote from Lee Iaccocca, former head of ChryslerQ "what do you call a nation that exports raw material and imports manufactured goods? A colony!"

Modern manufacturing and farming techniques cost. Where will the money come from. All well and good these ideas, but really, i think we are still stuck with working from small upwards. Its not just the production, new markets are needed and these things take time. God only knows it'll be hard to do, but we need to work on thngs that will give a quick turn around and build up.

[tsukoui]

With the banking sector in ruins, Cyprus must look for alternates for long term growth.
Natural resources of copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble and clay earth pigment are all we have.
Agriculture, fisheries and manufacturing deemed insignificant to make a difference.
Gas deposits are promising if ever materialize.
Semi arid climate, lots of sun and wonderful beaches is the key.

The tourism, hospitality and entertainment sectors are the only way out of this mess. Incentives must be given
to foreign/domestic investments towards building of hotels, marinas, holiday homes, golf courses, casinos and
convention halls. Examples of such incentives can be found in the Caribbeans islands region with great success.
Cyprus is the only island in the Med that can implement/adopt the Caribbean style economic recovery.

So how do you attract these investors/developers?

Well, Cuba did this while under USA embargo. Joint venture agreements imply the creation of a company jointly (50-50, or 51-49) owned company between a Cuban partner and a foreign partner. As a rule the Cuban partner offers the land, and the foreign partner takes care of the capital investment.
Large land owners in CY are the state and the church.

Tourism in Cuba has been described as chemotherapy, if it doesn't kill you it will keep you alive. This is hardly what we want. However there is another of Cuba's success stories that we should be looking to. Health. Fidel wants to make Cuba a medical superpower. We should be trying to do the same.

[Paphitis]

With the banking sector in ruins, Cyprus must look for alternates for long term growth.
Natural resources of copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble and clay earth pigment are all we have.
Agriculture, fisheries and manufacturing deemed insignificant to make a difference.
Gas deposits are promising if ever materialize.
Semi arid climate, lots of sun and wonderful beaches is the key.

The tourism, hospitality and entertainment sectors are the only way out of this mess. Incentives must be given
to foreign/domestic investments towards building of hotels, marinas, holiday homes, golf courses, casinos and
convention halls. Examples of such incentives can be found in the Caribbeans islands region with great success.
Cyprus is the only island in the Med that can implement/adopt the Caribbean style economic recovery.

So how do you attract these investors/developers?

Well, Cuba did this while under USA embargo. Joint venture agreements imply the creation of a company jointly (50-50, or 51-49) owned company between a Cuban partner and a foreign partner. As a rule the Cuban partner offers the land, and the foreign partner takes care of the capital investment.
Large land owners in CY are the state and the church.

Tourism in Cuba has been described as chemotherapy, if it doesn't kill you it will keep you alive. This is hardly what we want. However there is another of Cuba's success stories that we should be looking to. Health. Fidel wants to make Cuba a medical superpower. We should be trying to do the same.

I wouldn't say there are ANY success stories in Cuba.

It is not a country I would choose to derive any ounce of inspiration from.

Cyprus can do better.

Even the embassy we have there is a waste of money and should be closed down immediately. If they want another embassy then why not Indonesia? Cuba just doesn't cut it with me.

[kurupetos]

Cuba? Health? Oh, yeah, they saved Chavez, didn't they? No, wait a minute, they didn't.

[DrCyprus]

Fuck Cuba. Stop thinking about that god-forsaken communist shithole.