Cyprus has introduced a €400,000 annual incentive scheme to attract foreign sports teams, athletes and training groups. The four-year program runs from 2026 through 2029 and aims to increase tourism outside the peak summer season.
The initiative forms part of broader measures to diversify visitor demand and attract travelers during quieter periods.
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Fixed Incentives Replace Reimbursement Model
The revised scheme replaces expense reimbursement with fixed incentives, giving applicants greater clarity before booking training stays.
Support depends on factors including travel period, location, tourism-benefit zone, strategic-priority sports and participation by athletes with disabilities. Incentives range from €75 to €4,000 based on the qualifying criteria.
Winter And Interior Locations Get Extra Support
Additional funding is available for training camps in December, January and February, when tourism demand is typically weaker.
Higher incentives also apply to camps in mountain, rural, border and remote areas. The scheme operates year-round in Nicosia and designated priority areas, while coastal locations qualify for training stays from November through April.
Seven Sports Receive Priority Status
Football, cycling, athletics, swimming, triathlon, shooting and water sports have been designated as strategic priorities. Groups that include athletes with disabilities can also receive additional support.
The four-year timeframe is intended to give teams, federations and tour operators greater certainty when planning training camps in Cyprus.
Who Can Apply
Eligible applicants include foreign sports teams, clubs, federations, referees’ associations, sports academies and athletes affiliated with overseas federations. Foreign tour operators and companies arranging sports travel can also apply, along with licensed Cypriot tourism and travel agencies handling incoming teams.
Individual athletes must provide federation confirmation. Teams visiting as guests of Cypriot federations, clubs or teams are excluded, as are groups traveling to tournaments, competitions or other formal sporting obligations.
The scheme focuses on training and competitive preparation rather than participation in sporting events.
Conditions And Compliance
Participants must enter Cyprus through legal points of entry and remain in areas under the effective control of the Republic. Beneficiaries may also be required to provide high-resolution photographs and audiovisual material for Tourism Ministry promotional use.
Failure to meet the conditions can result in the loss of financial support. The €400,000 budget applies to 2026, while the program remains in force through December 2029.
Applications must be submitted electronically in PDF format using Tourism Ministry forms, under the EU’s de minimis state aid rules.
Part Of A Broader Tourism Strategy
The sports-training scheme is part of a wider effort to develop specialized tourism segments alongside traditional summer travel. Cyprus has also introduced incentives targeting conferences, corporate meetings and incentive travel.
Together, the measures aim to increase tourism activity during quieter periods and spread visitor spending beyond the main coastal resorts. The approach is also consistent with Cyprus’ Tourism Strategy 2035, which identifies sports and training tourism as a priority growth segment.
