The budget outlined the ministry’s strategies to boost the tourism sector through targeted advertising, strategic partnerships, and sustainable development projects. A significant portion of the budget is earmarked for high-priority advertising campaigns to draw attention to Cyprus as a key destination for various types of tourism, including conference, wedding, religious, golf, and rural tourism. The ministry also intends to strengthen its relationship with international partners, including airlines, to improve connectivity and reach. These campaigns, the proposed budget showed, will utilise both traditional and digital media, aiming to increase visibility on platforms such as online travel agencies and through outdoor advertisements.

The budget also showed that the ministry will continue supporting tourism enterprises and invest in the development of specialised tourism products, in an effort to strengthen Cyprus’ tourism offerings. This includes plans to conduct mapping studies of dive sites around Cyprus and research on mountain sports resorts, health tourism, and sustainability in tourism operations. Within the budget of €65.54 million, €27.67 million will go towards various tourism promotion activities. These funds will be allocated for advertising and publicity campaigns, the production of promotional materials, and search engine optimisation to enhance the visibility of Cyprus’ digital presence. Additionally, the ministry is set to promote ‘Heartland of Legends’ routes, a cultural and heritage programme aimed at highlighting unique Cypriot traditions, landscapes, and attractions.

The budget also includes €12.39 million dedicated to grants supporting specialised tourism forms, particularly those covered under de minimis state aid regulations. This funding will be distributed across initiatives to attract foreign sports teams, encourage conference tourism, and bolster wine tourism events.

Also included are funds for certifying recreational diving service providers and incentivising investments in beach upgrades and accessibility improvements. Moreover, the ministry’s budget will include support for the promotion of Cyprus’ traditional culinary and craft sectors and encourage digital transformation for tourism operators. Specific projects under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), totalling €8.1 million, will focus on the modernisation of tourist accommodation in rural and mountainous areas, supporting the ‘Taste of Cyprus’ certification programme, as well as enhancing wellness tourism infrastructure. An additional €3.45 million is allocated for the ministry’s participation in international tourism exhibitions, with the aim of positioning Cyprus prominently on the global tourism stage.

The budget further includes €200,000 for the design and production of updated promotional materials to be used in Cyprus and abroad. Hospitality costs are also covered, with €550,000 allocated to host travel agents, journalists, influencers, and other media personalities who feature Cyprus in their promotional content. Furthermore, €6,120 is reserved for refreshments provided during official meetings. As part of its planning, the ministry also set aside €202,960 for feasibility studies to support diving site mapping, mountain sports development, health tourism, and sustainability improvements in the tourism industry.

Finally, the budget also outlines €592,000 for consultancy services, including open tender procedures for the development of a marina in Paphos, the creation of a digital archive on tourism in Cyprus, and studies on rural tourism.