Cyprus EU presidency set to boost tourism and hotels

The upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, set for the first half of 2026, is expected to deliver tangible benefits for the country’s hotel and tourism sector, according to Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna. 

In an interview with Entrepreneurial Limassol, a periodical published by the Limassol Chamber of Commerce (Evel), Raouna said that Cypriot hoteliers will play a central role in this national effort. 

“Our hoteliers are a central pillar of our effort,” she said, adding that with their professionalism and high level of service, they can decisively strengthen and promote the country’s tourism industry, and, by extension, ensure the successful exercise of the Presidency. 

For hoteliers, she noted, the Presidency is not merely a test of hospitality but “a unique opportunity for strategic promotion, professional recognition and financial support.” 

Raouna described the six-month Presidency as a rare chance for Cyprus to showcase itself internationally, both as a pillar of stability and security and as a reliable partner within the European family. “It’s a unique opportunity, which presents itself once every approximately 14 years,” she said. 

During the Presidency, she explained, more than 250 meetings will be hosted across the island, ranging from informal ministerial councils and working groups to an informal meeting of EU Heads of State and Government. In total, over 20,000 delegates from all 27 member states are expected to attend. 

These meetings, Raouna continued, will be distributed evenly across all free provinces of Cyprus, ensuring equal promotion of each district. “This geographical distribution creates added value and a multiplier benefit for businesses in the tourism sector and the economy as a whole,” she said. 

To meet accommodation needs, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism is working closely with the Presidency Secretariat to announce tenders for hotels and venues throughout the country.  

“We invite our hoteliers to take part in the competitions held per province,” she said, explaining that the goal is to make use of conference centres, hotels and related infrastructure in every district, extending the benefits of the Presidency well beyond Nicosia. 

According to Raouna, the Presidency will also bring wider visibility to Cyprus’s hospitality industry and related sectors. “The Cypriot Presidency is expected to have direct and significant benefits for businesses in the sector, as well as similar and supporting sectors, such as the food industry, both during its duration and in a chain afterwards,” she said. 

In parallel, a series of excursion programmes will promote the beauty, traditions and cultural heritage of all free provinces, helping showcase Cyprus’s tourism offering to visiting delegates and media. 

Raouna stressed that tourism, a key pillar of the Cypriot economy, will naturally feature among the Presidency’s main priorities, particularly as it coincides with the presentation of the European Commission’s new EU Tourism Strategy, expected in early 2026. “The Government’s goal and pursuit,” she said, “is for the Cypriot Presidency to be a tool for substantial support of our hotel and tourism industry.” 

She also noted that the timing aligns with broader developments at European level. “With the new legislative cycle in the EU, we have for the first time in the history of the Union the appointment of a European Commissioner responsible for tourism issues,” she said. “This marks a new era for the sector at European level.” 

Raouna welcomed EU Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas’s initiative to develop a new integrated strategy for tourism, saying it gives “even greater momentum to the European tourism map.”  

She added that Cyprus aims to actively contribute to shaping the new EU tourism agenda, which will focus on a “competitive, sustainable and inclusive tourism model in Europe.” 

“The aim of our Presidency,” she said, “is to highlight policies that promote balanced, inclusive and environmentally friendly sustainable tourism models.” Through these, both businesses, particularly small and medium-sized ones, and local communities stand to benefit, with special emphasis on rural destinations. 

An Informal Meeting of EU Tourism Ministers will also take place in Cyprus as part of the Presidency’s activities, marking what Raouna described as “a culmination of our actions and initiatives in the tourism sector.” 

She expressed confidence that close cooperation between the Government and the hotel industry will be crucial to success.  

“With the board of directors and the management of the Cyprus Hotel Association (Pasyxe), we have had a productive and good cooperation from the very beginning,” she said. “Our hoteliers are our close partners in the national mission for a successful Presidency and impeccable, quality hospitality in Cyprus.” 

“The success of the Cyprus Presidency,” Raouna concluded, “will be the success of Cyprus—and the success of all those who contribute to this national mission.”