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Cyprus Moves To Support Domestic Tourism As Regional Tensions Weigh On Demand

Strategic Initiative For Strengthening Local Tourism

Cyprus is considering a targeted incentive scheme to support domestic tourism, as regional tensions in the Middle East continue to create uncertainty for the travel sector. Deputy Minister of Tourism Kostas Koumis said the proposal aims to encourage residents to stay in local hotels, helping to support demand during a potentially volatile period.

Regional Developments And Economic Impact

Koumis noted that tourism performance in Cyprus will depend on how the situation in the Middle East develops, particularly its duration and impact on travel flows. Despite the uncertainty, current expectations remain stable, although the sector is preparing for possible shifts in demand.

Comprehensive Policy Response

Alongside potential incentives, the Ministry is working with industry stakeholders to coordinate its response. The focus is on ensuring that hotels and tourism businesses can adapt to changing conditions. This includes measures aimed at maintaining activity in the sector and supporting operators if external demand weakens.

Delivering A Message Of Stability

Officials continue to emphasize that Cyprus remains a safe and stable destination. Maintaining this perception is seen as key to supporting both tourism demand and investor confidence.

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.

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.

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