The ‘Destination of Sustainable Cultural Tourism’ contest is organized by the European Cultural Tourism Network (ECTN), for all tourism destinations Europe-wide. The theme for the 2015 award calls for ‘Industrial Heritage Tourism’ and winners are recognized as ‘examples of excellence’ aiming to inspire and stimulate other European tourism destinations.
Hence, the Limassol Tourism Board applied for the award using the Lanitis Carob Mill project, entitled ‘Limassol (Cyprus): Turning a Carob Mill and Warehouse into the Old Town Hotspot’. The Board worked alongside the management team of Carob Mill Restaurants Ltd, and was delighted to win the second prize for Cyprus. The first prize went to Poland while Latvia came third.
The Carob Mill building was used in the 1800s as a warehouse, and it was not until the 1920s that it was converted into a mill. By 1937, carobs were being exported for animal feed to the UK, Germany, Russia, France and Egypt and they were also used as a chocolate substitute in the sweets industry. The seeds were thus in particularly great demand. The substance was later used in the photographic film manufacture and pharmaceutical industries too.
Carob Mill Restaurants Ltd was the next step to the evolution of the site. The project includes restaurants, ballrooms, the carob museum and a cultural centre which hosts international exhibitions, large corporate social events as well as conferences.
All this happening in Limassol’s vibrant old city centre. The site is situated right next to the Mediaeval Castle, which was home to the only British Royal couple to ever get married outside Britain: King Richard the Lionheart and his Queen, Berengaria. Today, Limassol’s Mediaeval Castle is one of the most visited places by holidaymakers, visitors and local residents and the whole area has become one of the most popular recreational spots on the island.
At a time when cultural and heritage tourism is probably the fastest-growing sector of European tourism, Limassol continues to uphold and strengthen its place as a destination of quality with much more to offer than the typical ‘sun and sea’ model.
