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Alpha Bank Launches €500 Million Green Senior Preferred Bond

Alpha Bank is making a strategic entry into sustainable finance with the launch of its inaugural green senior preferred bond, aiming to raise up to €500 million. The six‐year maturity bond, callable after five years, is anticipated to offer investors an interest rate of approximately 3 per cent.

Investment-Grade Milestone

This issuance is notable for its Baa2 rating from Moody’s, marking it as Alpha Bank’s first full investment grade debt in recent years. Such a rating underlines the bank’s robust financial positioning while enhancing its credibility in the green finance market.

Coordinated With Leading Global Banks

A distinguished consortium of financial institutions is managing the bond offering. BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole CIB, HSBC, J.P. Morgan (B&D), Morgan Stanley, and UniCredit are jointly leading the effort. Additionally, Crédit Agricole CIB is positioned as the Green Structuring Bank, reinforcing the issuance’s environmental objectives.

Strategic Market Implications

This issuance not only strengthens Alpha Bank’s commitment to sustainable growth but also aligns with broader market trends towards incorporating environmental, social, and governance factors into financial strategies. As green finance continues to reshape investment landscapes, Alpha Bank’s move may serve as a benchmark for future eco-friendly capital market initiatives.

Cyprus Expects More French Visitors In 2027 As Air Capacity Expands

Cyprus expects more French visitors in 2027 as airlines increase capacity between the two countries, Tourism Deputy Minister Kostas Koumis said after meetings with tour operators in Paris.

France, one of Cyprus’ key tourism markets, has had a difficult 2026. French arrivals fell 46% year over year to 8,453 in August, from 15,663 a year earlier, according to the Statistical Service of Cyprus (Cystat). August arrivals were also nearly 50% below the 16,798 recorded in the same month of 2024.

Overall, Cyprus received 2.82 million tourist arrivals between January and August, down 7% from the same period in 2025.

Air Connectivity Supports 2027 Outlook

Koumis discussed the 2027 outlook with senior executives from tour operators offering Cyprus holidays during the IFTM Top Resa travel trade fair in Paris.

Higher air capacity between France and Cyprus was a key focus of the talks. Participants also discussed the impact of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East on the French market and Cyprus’ efforts to adapt its tourism offering to French travelers.

“The French market is undoubtedly an extremely important market for our country’s tourism,” Koumis said, adding that France had regained importance only a few years ago and still had room to grow.

Improved air connectivity will be an important factor in that expansion, according to Koumis. “It is now clear that air connectivity between France and Cyprus is improving significantly, which is a basic prerequisite for the further growth of the market,” he said.

Cyprus Promotes Tourism And Regional Cooperation

Koumis attended the opening of IFTM Top Resa at the invitation of French Tourism Minister Serge Papin, who later visited the Cyprus stand. Held from Sept. 15 to 17 at Paris Porte de Versailles, the event brought together more than 32,000 tourism professionals representing 177 destinations and 1,650 brands, according to organizers.

During his visit, Koumis also met Egyptian Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy. Cyprus and Egypt reaffirmed their tourism cooperation and discussed opportunities to strengthen ties further.

French media interviews covered Cyprus’ tourism offering, infrastructure and services, along with efforts to develop specialized tourism products. Regional instability weighed on arrivals in 2026, particularly during the spring, although the decline narrowed over the summer.

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