Investments of 220 million euros in three areas of Ios are planned by the Greek Calilo group led by Angelos Michalopoulos, active in the field of hospitality. The Calilo Group was founded by Mr. Michalopoulos, who has long been involved in finance in the United States and who since 2012 began investing in the Cyclades island.
It all started with the operation of two luxury hotels and five restaurants and bars. Applying a development model based on a particularly low construction factor and a high quality tourism product, the Group developed its two hotels in Ios, “Calilo” and “Agalia”, applying a construction factor of 4.5 % and 7.5% respectively, lower than the legally defined 10%.
In the same direction and with a vision of the development of Ios as a model sustainable tourist destination, Mr. Michalopoulos announced yesterday during a press conference that the Group has developed a strategic investment plan of 220 million euros, which will be financed with own funds, in the districts of Pikri, Nero, Koumbara and Louka-Papa, where on a total area of 8,914 acres, projects with a construction factor of 0.05% are planned, much lower than the factor of 0.2% defined by law. Under the plan, it commits to developing just 1% of the land it owns, leaving the rest untouched for future generations.
New positions
The new investment will create more than 418 direct jobs and around 1,000 indirect jobs, Ios’ tourism product will be strengthened with around 1,000 beds, 121 furnished tourist houses, 37 residences and 1 conference center.
This is the only strategic tourism development plan in Greece, in which the investor voluntarily commits to exploiting only 1% of the total area, leaving 80% of its areas intact for future generations, Mr. Michalopoulos highlighted. , while adding that for the first time a Greek investor voluntarily takes the initiative of creating an independent environmental action observatory before the implementation of investments.
The Calilo Group’s sustainable development model is based, as Mr. Michalopoulos himself explains, on the commitment of the Michalopoulos family to themselves limit the exploitation of 1% of the total surface area of the territory and to leave more than 80% of the island’s surface area. untouched natural landscapes.
He controls 25% of the island
As announced by Mr. Michalopoulos himself, the Group has gradually purchased approximately 30,000 acres on the island out of the total 108,000 acres of Ios. We have acquired 25% of the island and our commitment is to build around 89,000 square meters, Mr. Michalopoulos emphasized.
As he said, there are three models of tourism development. The Zero model, that is to say doing nothing and leaving the islands and the country as they are, which is not sustainable in the long term.
The model of everything, like Mykonos and Santorini, that we are developing basically intolerable for the environment but very good for the pocket, which also has an expiration date and the third model that we offer is the 1% model. We intend to build on 1% of the land we have and leave 99% undeveloped. Financially, he added, it is possible provided there are high-level services and low construction so that the product does not lose its identity. because the luxury we’re talking about is privacy. What the foreign visitor wants is to have freedom.
He was optimistic that in the next four to five years we will have a cadastre, a forest cadastre, roads outside the plan that the local urban plans will define and that Greece will end up with something that she never had. Making a product that the foreign investor can trust and know that the land they are buying is theirs and will not be insulted and that what they are buying can one day turn it into a home.
New investments
The three new investments include:
- the creation of a Tourist Accommodation Complex (STK) which includes a 5-star hotel with 93 beds and 23 tourist residences in the region of Koupara-Diakofto and Faros
- the creation of STK in the Pikri Nero area which includes a 5-star hotel, 84 beds, 16 furnished tourist accommodations and a holiday village of 37 holiday homes
- the creation of STK on the Papas-Loukas site, which includes a 280-bed unit and 80 furnished accommodations.
Reactions and initiatives
Mr. Michalopoulos, taking into account some of the reactions that have taken place on the island regarding his investments, responds that where there is action, there is also reaction and notes that the interventions are very low-level, which which offers added value to the local community and the economy.
For the Calilo Group, sustainable tourism development means demarcation, good management of resources and infrastructure, he emphasized, also referring to a series of environmental projects that it has already implemented.
He also undertakes that more than 80% of the Group’s total surface area will be allocated to Protection Zones in which, as he explains, the forest character and natural relief will be preserved, any construction will be prohibited, protection fire protection/fire extinguishing. systems will be created (fire hydrants, network) and early detection of fires as well as a network of trails for hiking tourism, but also for hiking or running (marking).
Environmental Observatory
Finally, he announced yesterday the creation of an Environmental Observatory, the first in our country, whose aim is to monitor and analyze the environmental footprint of the Group’s installations in Ios, as well as all of the spatial organization and environmental parameters of the entire island. The Environmental Observatory maintains complete scientific and operational autonomy, as it is composed of specialist scientists, independent organizations linked to the environmental sector, as well as representatives of the Municipality of Ieton and the Organization environmental.
Erica Michalopoulou, Director of Strategic Development and Public Relations, said that “the sustainable development of Ios and respect for the natural environment of the Cyclades is a priority and a main pillar of our investment strategy. We make this vision a commitment through the Environmental Action Plan and the creation of the Observatory, actions which are not provided as an obligation by the current legislative framework, but are initiatives of the Michalopoulos family and perfectly reflect the philosophy of our Group for the essential sustainable development of the island. Our goal is to ensure that Ios remains a dynamic and competitive tourist destination, while preserving its natural beauty and cultural heritage. »