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Bank Of Cyprus Empowers Hotel Sector With Strategic Rewards Initiative

Bank of Cyprus launched a rewards program offering five times points on hotel stays paid directly with its cards between April 6 and June 30, 2026. The initiative targets domestic tourism and supports the hospitality sector during a period of weaker regional demand.

Strategic Response To Regional Uncertainties

The program was introduced as tourism flows are affected by regional tensions in the Middle East. Bank of Cyprus is positioning the offer to support local hotels and maintain activity in the sector. Tourism remains a key contributor to Cyprus’ economy, making demand support measures relevant for short-term stability.

Enhanced Rewards For Loyal Customers

Under the new program, BoC cardholders are invited to earn five times the reward points on all qualifying hotel stays. The promotion is valid for all accommodation payments made directly at the hotel using a Bank of Cyprus card between April 6, 2026 and June 30, 2026. To be eligible, payments must be made directly during check-in or check-out, bypassing third-party platforms.

Boosting Domestic Tourism And Economic Resilience

Irene Gregoriou, Chief of Consumer Banking at Bank of Cyprus, said the initiative aims to support both customers and the hospitality industry. The program links consumer incentives with increased activity in local businesses. Domestic tourism is expected to play a larger role as international demand fluctuates. Targeted promotions may help offset part of the decline in external arrivals.

Further Information And Participating Hotels

A list of participating hotels is available through the bank’s official channels. Customers can review eligible properties and program details online. Participation conditions and reward structures are defined within the promotion terms.

Greek And Cypriot Banks Propel Economic Growth With Aggressive Credit Expansion

Robust Q1 Growth Sets The Stage

Banks in Greece and Cyprus are accelerating lending activity, with total credit expansion projected to approach or exceed €15 billion in 2026. The increase is reinforcing the banking sector’s role in supporting profitability and broader economic growth across the region.

Targeted Lending Initiatives And Sector Performance

According to reports by Greek business outlet Newmoney, banks are increasingly relying on credit expansion to sustain earnings growth as interest rate dynamics shift across Europe. First-quarter results already point to strong momentum in lending activity.

Eurobank has set a target of €3.8 billion in credit expansion this year. National Bank of Greece and Piraeus Bank are each targeting €3 billion, while Alpha Bank aims for €3.5 billion. Smaller lenders are also expanding aggressively, with CrediaBank targeting €1.2 billion and Optima Bank aiming for €1.1 billion.

Notable Banking Results Across Markets

First-quarter results underline the scale of the lending rebound. Banks that have reported Q1 figures recorded cumulative credit expansion of €4.7 billion. Piraeus Bank increased its loan portfolio to €38.6 billion, while net credit expansion reached €1.3 billion across major business segments. At National Bank of Greece, new loan disbursements rose 50%, contributing to net credit expansion of €500 million.

Meanwhile, Eurobank reported a 9.8% increase in net credit expansion to €1.1 billion. In Cyprus, Bank of Cyprus recorded Q1 lending of €829 million, up 9% compared with the end of 2025, while Optima Bank posted a 27% year-on-year increase in loan disbursements to €1 billion.

Sectoral Dynamics And Asset Quality Improvements

A recent report from UBS showed that business lending remained the strongest growth driver in March, increasing 10.9% year-on-year. Consumer lending rose 7.7%, while housing loans increased 1.1%. Asset quality also continued to improve. Non-performing loans declined to 3.3% in Q4 2025, down 30 basis points from the previous quarter, reflecting the sector’s ongoing balance-sheet clean-up.

Despite the strong lending momentum, profitability remained broadly stable in the first quarter. Combined net profits at major banks, including National Bank of Greece, Piraeus Bank, Eurobank, Optima Bank and Bank of Cyprus, totaled €1.12 billion, representing a marginal year-on-year decline of 0.27%.

Profitability And Revenue Breakdown

Profit trends varied across institutions during the quarter. Net profit at National Bank of Greece declined 9.9%, while Piraeus Bank reported a 1.42% decrease. By contrast, Eurobank increased profitability by 5.3%. In Cyprus, Bank of Cyprus reported a 3% increase in profit, while Optima Bank posted a 22% rise. Across the sector, net interest income increased 1.4% to €1.93 billion, although performance differed among individual banks. Fee income recorded stronger growth, rising 20% year-on-year to €590 million.

Long-Term Trends And Strategic Impact

Over the past year, listed banks in Greece and Cyprus generated combined post-tax profits of €5.458 billion, up 15.4% from the previous year. During the same period, net interest income declined 4.2% to €9.307 billion, reflecting pressure from changing rate conditions.

Balance-sheet quality continued to strengthen as non-performing loans fell to €5.7 billion, down 5.2% compared with December 2024. Since March 2016, banks in the two markets have reduced non-performing exposures by an estimated €101.5 billion, equivalent to a cumulative decline of 94.7%.

The sustained improvement in asset quality, combined with expanding loan portfolios, is reinforcing the sector’s role in financing business activity and economic recovery across Greece and Cyprus.


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