Irish businessman Paul Richard Coulson’s plan to create a new tourist destination in Porto Heli The tourist accommodation complex “Hinitsa Bay Holdings” in the position of Hinitsa, reveals the strategic environmental impact study published on the website of the Ministry of Tourism.
The Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment (hereinafter SMP) describes a 5* tourist accommodation complex with a capacity of 607 beds on a plot of 642.51 acres, in an off-plan area at the location of Hinitsa in the municipality of Hermionida, owned by the company. HINITSA BAY HOLDINGS MONOPROSSOPI SA
The development area includes:
▪ existing tourist activity zone, a 4* hotel built in 1972-, which is being modernized and upgraded according to current construction and operating specifications, while also being certified according to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Construction Standard for sustainable buildings,
▪ area of the non-operational private airport of Alexiou, this area is the abandoned airport and the residence of the former owner, its operation has ceased since approximately 1980,
▪ Undeveloped land, and
▪ private forest areas, in which no intervention takes plac
The aim is to develop an eco-tourism complex of accommodation, recreation and wellness, which will include a 5* hotel, special tourist infrastructure facilities (Rejuvenation Center-Spa), catering, recreation, outdoor recreation as well as a limited number of furnished tourist accommodation (20-30) that can operate all year round.
All facilities will be modernized and/or built in accordance with the applicable specifications (constructive, functional, accessibility) and their operation will be managed by an internationally renowned organization in the tourism sector.
The Accommodation Complex, whose operating period will be extended throughout the year, aims to:
– in the creation of a modern hotel – in place of an existing dilapidated hotel – within which high-level infrastructure and services will operate for residents, day visitors, residents of furnished tourist accommodation,
– in the creation of a high-end tourist residence complex – on the site of a non-functional private airport – similar to those in the study area, which aims to attract interested stakeholders at the international level,
– the preservation and protection of forest areas included in the site of the Tourist Accommodation Complex,
– in the provision of leisure, catering and wellness services to residents of the wider area, given that it is a holiday residence area with a significant lack of leisure and wellness infrastructure and services, particularly during the winter months,
– ensuring the required accessibility to the services and facilities provided,
– in the employment and retention of human resources who will be trained and specialized appropriately, while taking care of their accommodation.
The hotel’s beds, despite the addition of new accommodation spaces (bungalows), are reduced compared to the existing hotel’s capacity of 128 beds.
The furnished tourist accommodation can be visited and operates all year round. The hotel will operate in expansion, also throughout the year.
Existing hotel facilities and old airport buildings
AKS HINITSA BAY HOTEL
The 4* 385-bed AKTI HINITSA BAY Hotel (AKS HINITSA BAY) operated from 1973 to September 2023. The land that makes up the hotel and its buildings is a landscape of 1970s aesthetics, with large construction volumes, strong urban features and an extensive environment with hard surfaces.
The hotel operated during the April-October period until its closure in October 2023. It has all the required permits.
Former private airport of Alexiou
Alexiou Private Airport, which is perhaps the only private airport in Greece. Tassos Alexiou, founder of the company TASOS ALEXIOU SA he was a professional builder with a great love for aviation and engineering, he became the first Greek private pilot and trained in America.
Himself an operator of private planes and seaplanes, he located and purchased this particular field, which was pasture, in 1970 in order to properly shape a landing strip for his flights.
Its construction began informally, while in 1968 a relevant license for the establishment and operation of an airport was issued with AP E2/A/34287/10590/1968. The airport operates for private purposes, serving him and his friends (Aristotelis Onassis, Bill Lear, founder of Lear Jet, etc.) while in 1970 Olympic Aviation, which was served until 1980, also applied for a license.
Subsequently, the airport is still in private use. In 2004, it was closed by the Civil Aviation Authority, due to maintenance problems, while in 2008, the airport certificate was not renewed, so the airport was closed permanently.
FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OF 5* COMPLEX TOURIST ACCOMMODATION
HOTEL CAPACITY (beds) 257
350 FURNISHED TOURIST HOUSES
TOTAL 607
The hotel’s beds, despite the addition of new accommodation spaces (bungalows), are reduced compared to the existing hotel’s capacity of 128 beds.
The furnished tourist accommodation can be visited and operates all year round. The hotel will operate in expansion, also throughout the year.
The 5* hotel
Hinitsa Bay will include amenities for all ages, from outdoor games to wellness centers. The center of gravity of the new design is the renovated and expanded hotel, which meets the performance expectations of modern 5* tourist accommodation operators. In addition, it will include a beach restaurant run by a renowned chef, a spacious sports complex with outdoor and indoor sports facilities (gym, yoga), rejuvenation centers (special tourist infrastructure) – for hotel residents and visitors as well as a second one for residents of tourist furnished houses – and a secluded chapel.
In the valley below the hotel, on the existing car park and sports fields, new accommodation in the form of bungalows is being developed.
Special Tourist Infrastructure – Rejuvenation Center (SPA)
It is planned to integrate the special tourist infrastructure of the Hotel Rejuvenation Center (SPA) in plot 4.1, while for better service to all visitors and residents of the tourist furnished houses, it is planned to develop a second Rejuvenation Center (SPA) located in the Hotel Zone along the entrance road of plot 4.
Furnished Tourist Residences Area
It is developed exclusively in the southern part of furnished houses for sale (25,822.8 m²) located on an area of approximately 420 m². while the 17,216.6 for hotel use (of which 13,868.31 m² constitute the existing hotel building) are distributed over an area of approximately 80 m².
Furnished Tourist Residences
A limited number of approximately 20 to 30 dwellings will be developed. These will be carefully located outside the 10-metre buffer zone provisions of protected forests and the 30-metre buffer zone provisions of the coastline.
The seaside sections are expected to accommodate villas ranging from 800 to 1,500 m². per residence. Each residence will be above ground or underground, while the volume of the building will be divided and will not exceed one or two storey levels. Each residence will be independent with a large surrounding area and taking into account the significant distance from neighboring villas.