At its meeting today, the Council of Ministers approved the following incentive programs:
- Grant Program for the Upgrading of Hotels, Tourist Accommodations, and Recreation Centers in Kato Pyrgos, Tillyria
- Incentive Plan to Attract Conference Tourism Events for the 2026–2029 Period
- Incentive Plan to Attract Foreign Sports Teams for Training for the Period 2026–2029
- Incentive Plan for the Implementation of Experiential Workshops,
- as well as the Christmas Villages Sponsorship Plan for next year.
These are incentive programs aimed at further developing specialized forms of tourism, to enrich tourism services, and to increase tourist flows to less popular tourist destinations.
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The “Grant Program for the Upgrading of Hotels, Tourist Accommodations, and Recreation Centers in Kato Pyrgos, Tillyria” is a targeted initiative for a region that, despite its natural and cultural advantages, continues to face development challenges. Beneficiaries of the program are hotels, tourist accommodations, and recreational centers operating in Kato Pyrgos, Tillyria, with funding covering 85% of eligible expenses and a total budget of €1.5 million for the period 2026–2028.
“This plan is tangible proof of the commitment of the Nikos Christodoulides administration to supporting the remote regions of our country,” said Deputy Minister of Tourism Costas Koumis.
The “Incentive Plan to Attract Conference Tourism Events” addresses a specific form of high-value-added tourism, namely conference tourism. The key feature of this plan is its four-year duration, which allows organizers to plan their events in Cyprus well in advance. The plan’s annual budget amounts to €150,000.
In addition, the Council of Ministers approved the “Incentive Scheme for Attracting Foreign Sports Teams for Training in Cyprus,” which aims to further strengthen sports and training tourism in our country. The plan is also valid for four years and is intended for sports teams, clubs, federations, and academies from abroad, as well as tour operators and licensed travel agencies. The program’s annual budget amounts to €400,000.
The “Incentive Program for the Implementation of Hands-On Workshops”—covering traditional handicrafts, processing of agricultural and livestock products, and food and wine—aims to connect the tourism sector with tradition, local production, and the promotion of authentic experiences. The project’s annual budget amounts to €100,000. The ultimate goal of the project is to highlight the productive and gastronomic identity of the Cypriot countryside.
The Council of Ministers also approved the “Christmas Villages Sponsorship Program” for the year 2027, a program aimed at further boosting winter tourism by organizing festive events during the Christmas season. This is now a well-established tradition, bringing multiple benefits to local communities. The annual budget for this program amounts to €640,000.
“I would like to emphasize that these projects are not isolated initiatives. They are part of a coherent government strategy aimed at mitigating seasonality, strengthen specialized forms of tourism, enrich tourism services, and spread tourist flows to rural areas, mountainous regions, and the remote areas of our country,” he concluded.
