The investment of Mitsis Group in northern Afantou, Rhodes, continues with a significant step forward, as the Environment Committee of the South Aegean Region approved the Environmental Impact Study (EIS) for the modernization and operation of the existing 18-hole golf course, with a total area of ??500,983.76 sq m, in the Paralia Afantou area. The decision also concerns the project’s supporting facilities and paves the way for the official issuance of a Decision on the Approval of Environmental Terms (AEPO), a necessary condition for the implementation of the investment plan.
The first step towards the revival of the historic course
The Afandou golf course, which has been operating since 1973 without approved environmental conditions, has been inactive for many years in terms of its investment development. With the approval of the EIA, which was prepared on behalf of the company “Afandou Real Estate” – a subsidiary of the Mitsis Group – the way is opened for the full licensing of its operation, which constitutes the foundation for the launch of the broader tourism project.
The study describes the modernization of the course and existing infrastructure (such as the clubhouse), as well as the construction of new or additional facilities, such as shelters and other auxiliary infrastructure, in a way that upgrades the experience of athletes and visitors.
From a local course to a Mediterranean golf course
The investment is part of the broader plan of the Mitsis Group, which acquired the property from Greek-American businessman Mercourios Angeliadis, who had bid in the relevant HRADF tender. The investment plan envisages the transformation of the area into an international golf and luxury tourism destination, with a total investment estimated at 400 million euros.
The masterplan includes:
the complete upgrade of the 18-hole golf course,
the development of three high-standard hotel units,
the creation of a marina,
the construction of a shopping center,
the development of tourist residences.
The Group’s ambition is to create a leisure destination that will operate 12 months a year and will place Rhodes on the map of golf and thematic tourism in the Mediterranean.
Low utilization to date – New development prospects
The historic course, designed by the famous British golf architect Donald Harradine, operates on an area of ??approximately 450 acres, with the capacity to host 200 athletes per day. However, the actual attendance remains much lower: during the high tourist season, an average of only 50 players visit per day, while in the winter, the number drops to 21, with the main audience being local players.
According to the National Economic and Social Committee, the aim of the intervention is to create an “aesthetically and functionally correct” course, which will satisfy the needs of golfers while offering high-quality hospitality and leisure services. The new form of the course is expected to contribute significantly to the extension of the tourist season and the increase in quality tourism on the island.
Infrastructure and environmental dimension
In addition to the golf course, the property includes various infrastructures, such as a two-story 26-room hotel, a temporary ground-floor clubhouse with parking, an unfinished two-story clubhouse, a two-story locker room building, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, as well as diving and children’s pools.
The study places particular emphasis on environmental design and the impacts of water use, planting, waste management, and the preservation of the natural balance. The budget for the initial stage of the environmental investment amounts to 50,000 euros.
