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Cyprus Faces Lifeguard Shortage Ahead Of Peak Summer Season

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

June 23, 2026

Critical Staffing Challenges Across Cyprus Beaches

A shortage of lifeguards continues to affect beaches across Cyprus, with the Interior Ministry reporting staffing gaps, particularly in Limassol and Paphos. Around 380 lifeguard positions, funded jointly by the ministry and local authorities, remain difficult to fill. The ongoing shortage has also prompted discussions about how available staff should be deployed during the summer season.

Evaluating Staffing Proposals Under Safety Standards

One proposal put forward by local authorities would see a single lifeguard assigned to each tower in an effort to extend coverage across more beaches. Andreas Karvounis, an officer with the ministry’s beach safety unit, cautioned that any such changes would need to comply with existing safety requirements. According to Karvounis, expanding coverage should not come at the expense of operational safety standards.

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Federation Warns Of Compromised Rescue Operations

Those concerns are shared by the Cyprus Lifeguard Federation. Its president, Polis Pallikaros, argued that reducing staffing levels would conflict with international safety protocols and could affect response times during rescue operations. For that reason, he called for an increase in both permanent and seasonal lifeguard positions, particularly in Limassol and Paphos.

By way of comparison, Pallikaros noted that the Famagusta district has 47 permanent positions, while the Paphos district has only three. Each year, around 110 lifeguards must be recruited to cover seasonal demand in the district.

Equipment And Coverage Gaps Compound The Issue

Staffing shortages are not the only challenge facing beach safety services. Pallikaros also pointed to a lack of motorised rescue equipment, including jet skis used for rapid response and wider coastal coverage. Limited resources, he said, can affect the ability of lifeguards to respond quickly across larger stretches of coastline. Coverage gaps have also been reported in several locations. Lifeguard officer Sakis Nikolaou said parts of Governor’s Beach and sections of Lady’s Mile within the British bases currently remain without lifeguard supervision.

Industry And Union Perspectives

Concerns over staffing levels have also been raised by trade union Oekdy-Sek. In a statement cited by Cyprus Mail, the union argued that a single lifeguard cannot effectively manage emergencies without additional support. It also highlighted the importance of coordinated alert procedures and access to rescue equipment.

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Only 1% Of Cyprus Farms Use Precision Farming Technologies

Cyprus remains one of the European Union’s least digitised agricultural economies, with just 1% of farms using precision farming technologies in 2023, according to Eurostat.

The findings come as the EU continues to encourage the adoption of digital tools aimed at improving agricultural productivity, efficiency and sustainability.

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Internet Access Expands, But Digital Uptake Lags

Internet access has improved across the bloc, although adoption remains uneven. Eurostat found that 43% of EU farms had internet access in 2023, with northern and central European countries leading the way.

Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Latvia, the Czech Republic and Austria all reported internet access rates above 90%.

Greater connectivity, however, has not translated into widespread digital adoption. Farm management information systems, which help farmers manage day-to-day operations, were used by only about 11% of EU farms. France was a notable exception, with around 60% of farms using the technology.

Precision Farming Concentrated In Larger Operations

Robotics adoption also remained relatively limited, with only about 7% of EU farms using robotic technologies. Overall, around 18% of farms with utilised agricultural area employed at least one precision farming technology or practice in 2023.

These included robotics for plant protection, band spraying, variable-rate application, precision crop monitoring and soil analysis. Despite representing fewer than one in five farms, these holdings accounted for around 44% of the EU’s utilised agricultural area.

The figures suggest that precision farming remains concentrated among larger agricultural businesses, where investment in digital technologies is typically easier to support.

Cyprus Lags Behind EU Leaders

Luxembourg, Finland and Estonia recorded the highest shares of utilised agricultural area managed by farms using precision farming technologies, each exceeding 75%.

At the other end of the ranking, Cyprus recorded just 1%, while Greece and Romania reported between 10% and 15%. The results indicate that Cyprus remains at an early stage of digital adoption in agriculture, even as precision farming becomes more widespread across parts of the European Union.