Located some distance from the main resorts of Cyprus, the Troodos region - the mountainous region of the country - is fundamentally different from the rest of the regions. Traditional villages, mountain trails, beautiful waterfalls and rivers, as well as the highest peak of the island, Mount Olympus - not everyone knows that Cyprus can be so diverse and represented not only by the beach strip. The area is divided into several areas, each with its own distinctive features. In the southeastern region there are Macheras forests, in the east they are adjacent to the Pitsilia region, in the north lie the valleys of Maratas and Solea, and in the south in Krasohorje, residents are engaged in viticulture. The main tourist center of Troodos is located on the plateau. From here, various tourist routes go to the mountains, including for pilgrims who come to Cyprus to the ancient Byzantine temples.
This area is very important for Cyprus. Moreover, since ancient times it was considered an elite area where the rulers of the island went on vacation. They loved to hide from the summer heat in the dense forests of Troodos at all times. Currently, the Cypriot authorities are seriously concerned about the negative changes that are taking place in this region. We are talking about the real threat of extinction of Troodos communities. For several years now, there has been talk of developing a national strategy for the renewal of the region. It is expected that by September of this year, the final version of the strategy will be prepared, which will prevent the disappearance of authentic settlements, and with them a whole layer of the history of Cyprus. The development of the program is under the supervision of the President of the Republic.
The work on the national strategy is carried out with the involvement of scientists and specialists from various fields. During the summer period, at least 2 more meetings of representatives of scientific and technical groups should take place, which are involved in developing the plan. The first steps were taken in this direction a few years ago, when a group of scientists from the University of Thessaly (Greece) began to structure the problems that faced the inhabitants of mountainous regions. In addition to the inevitable aging of the population, it was necessary to understand: how to prevent the migration of residents from these areas, how to attract investment to create infrastructure that would attract tourists, and therefore would increase the competitiveness of the entire region and give it a new life. As part of this research, teams of specialists were dispatched to at least 114 Troodos settlements.
As a result, experts identified about 20 options for the development of Troodos, in particular, there is a proposal to focus on those areas for which this region has always been famous. Namely, handicraft production, supporting the identity and aspirations of people in remote corners to self-organize.
