**Cabinet Approves New Tourism Incentive Schemes to Diversify Cyprus' Offerings**
On Thursday, the Cabinet of Cyprus approved a series of five tourism incentive schemes aimed at promoting travel beyond the island's traditional coastal resorts and busy summer months. The initiatives, announced by Tourism Deputy Minister Kostas Koumis, are designed to enhance specialist tourism, enrich visitor services, and increase tourist flows to less frequented regions of the country.
The most significant of these schemes is a €1.5 million grant program targeted at hotels, tourist accommodations, and leisure centers in Kato Pyrgos Tyllirias. This program, which will run from 2026 to 2028, allows businesses to receive funding that covers up to 85% of eligible expenses for improvement projects. Koumis emphasized that this initiative serves as a "targeted intervention" for Kato Pyrgos, an area rich in natural and cultural assets but facing development challenges. He described the funding as "practical proof" of the government’s commitment to supporting remote border communities.
In addition to the Kato Pyrgos initiative, the Cabinet also approved four-year incentive schemes aimed at boosting Cyprus' conference and sports tourism sectors. The conference tourism program, which will span from 2026 to 2029, has an annual budget of €150,000. This extended duration allows event organizers to plan their activities in Cyprus well in advance, thereby attracting high-value conferences that can contribute to the economy, especially during off-peak seasons.
Similarly, a separate program with an annual budget of €400,000 will focus on attracting foreign sports teams to Cyprus for training and preparation. This initiative will be open to international teams, clubs, federations, and academies, as well as tour operators and licensed travel agencies. The four-year timeline of this scheme also facilitates long-term planning for sports organizations.
The Cabinet's initiatives further include an allocation of €100,000 per year for experiential workshops that highlight traditional crafts, agricultural and livestock product processing, and gastronomy. Koumis noted that this program aims to connect tourism with local traditions and promote the authentic experiences available in the Cypriot countryside.
Additionally, the Cabinet has earmarked €640,000 for Christmas villages in 2027. These festive events are intended to bolster winter tourism and attract visitors to rural and mountainous communities. Koumis referred to Christmas villages as an established institution that provides numerous benefits to local communities.
The combined funding for the conference, sports, workshop, and Christmas village schemes totals approximately €1.29 million, alongside the three-year €1.5 million program for Kato Pyrgos. Koumis emphasized that these measures are part of a broader government strategy to reduce the seasonality of tourism, develop specialized forms of tourism, and diversify services available to visitors.
As Cyprus continues to navigate the challenges of the tourism sector, these new initiatives represent a concerted effort to promote a more inclusive and varied travel experience across the island, encouraging visitors to explore its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty beyond the well-trodden paths of its coastal resorts.