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Cyprus Tourism Arrivals Decline Eases, But Full-Year Forecast Still Points To A 5% Drop

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 14, 2026

Speaking at a meeting with the deputy ministry, the hoteliers’ association Pasyxe and tourism bodies in Limassol, Tourism Minister Kostas Koumis said the year is now expected to close with a decline of around 5%, despite what he described as a successful response to earlier disruptions.

Summer Losses Narrow As Recovery Takes Shape

The decline eased to around 1% in June and just over 1% in July, while August data have not yet been released. The first seven months recorded an 8% decline, Koumis said.

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“The total percentage for the first seven months of the year has dropped to 8 per cent, and I emphasise the word dropped because it indicates that the decrease is clearly now on a downward path,” Koumis said.

He pointed to the crisis earlier this year, when a drone strike at RAF Akrotiri and the US-Israeli conflict with Iran triggered thousands of cancellations and a freeze in reservations. Authorities responded with a series of measures as the scale of the disruption became clear, he said.

Limassol’s Capacity Challenge Remains

Limassol Tourism Board President Andreas Tsouloftas said the conversion of small hotels into short-term residential units has reduced available bed capacity. He said this limits the city’s ability to expand beyond its current 12% share of national tourism.

“It would be a good thing if there were interest or some incentives to increase these beds, instead of focusing on just attracting higher spending visitors,” he said.

Pollution Concerns Remain With Shipping Authorities

Asked about reported pollution off the Limassol coast, Koumis said the issue falls under the responsibility of the deputy shipping ministry.

“We know that the issue has already been analysed, it will be managed by the competent authorities of the country and from there on we hope that a solution will be found in the long term,” he said.

Tourism Groups Strengthen Promotion

Pasyxe’s Limassol chief Christos Tsanos said the association is strengthening promotional efforts with the Employers and Industrialists Federation (Oev), the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) and the municipality.

The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties

AI In Practice Brings Business Leaders Together To Learn, Unlearn And Relearn

by News Editor

October 16, 2026

AI in Practice: Changing the Future of Business takes place on Monday, 19 October 2026, at the Cultural Center of European University Cyprus in Nicosia, under the auspices of the Chief Scientist of Cyprus, Demetris Skourides.

Organised by Panis.News with co-organisers GrantXpert Consulting and Future Skills Hub at European University Cyprus, the event will bring together founders, SME owners and senior executives to examine practical uses of artificial intelligence.

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The evening runs from 18:00 to 22:30. Tickets will be available until 12:00 noon on Monday, 19 October, Cyprus time.

For business leaders, the challenge is deciding where AI can deliver results. The programme will explore how to identify useful applications, prepare teams and connect technology investment with business needs. Demonstrations, case studies and direct questions to speakers will help attendees assess their next steps.

Panis Pieri, Founder of Panis.News, said:

“Business leaders need space to ask questions, challenge assumptions and learn from people applying AI. We created AI in Practice to make that conversation accessible and useful. We want attendees to leave with a clearer idea of what they can do next in their own businesses.”

Dr Celia Hadjichristodoulou, Founder and Managing Director of GrantXpert Consulting and Future Skills Hub, said:

“Working out where AI belongs in your business takes real thought about your customers, your processes and your people.”

AIA.Labs supports the event as the Gold Partner. Its founder, Sotiris Makrygiannis, said:

“In the 70s we learnt how to punch a card to go to work or program a timesharing computing machine, in the 80s the personal PC and office tools, in the 90s the modem and basic internet, in the 2000s mobile internet plus web shopping, and by 2010 the mobile apps. Now it’s time to learn how to practically use AI and that alone is the most disruptive thing an individual can do today. We are happy to sponsor the event because theory needs a practical application.”

The Agenda

– 18:00–18:30: Registration and networking.

– 18:30–18:50: Welcome remarks from Panis Pieri, Dr Celia Hadjichristodoulou and EUC Rector Professor Loizos Symeou.

– 18:50–19:00: Interview with Chief Scientist Demetris Skourides.

– 19:00–19:20: The AI Revolution. Why should you care? by Monica Odysseos, Head of AI and Data Lab of Grant Thornton.

– 19:20–19:40: From Business Pain Points to AI Transformation: A CEO’s Roadmap to Real Results by George Malekkos, CEO of POWERSOFT Computer Solutions & AI-Driven Business Transformation Architect & President of CITEA.

– 19:40–20:20: AI and the Future of Business: Will Your Business Be Here in 2030? by Paris Thomas, Executive Advisor on AI & Strategy, Founder at Rapid Visual / Strapivo

– 20:20–21:00: Questions and answers with the speakers.

– 21:00–22:30: Networking over drinks and bites.

The Challenge

The evening’s programme approaches the challenge from three directions.

Monica Odysseos will begin with a question that deserves a clear answer: why should you care?

Her session will explore how AI is changing the way people work, make decisions and create. Her background spans software development, accounting and applied AI, bringing both technical and business perspectives to the discussion.

George Malekkos will then examine how business problems can become starting points for AI adoption.

Where does your company lose time? Which processes cause delays? Where could you improve the customer experience?

His presentation will look at selecting useful applications, preparing teams and processes, and measuring results. For a business owner deciding where to begin, that connection between a specific problem and a measurable outcome matters.

Paris Thomas will take the discussion further with his keynote, “AI and the Future of Business: Will Your Business Be Here in 2030?”

It is a challenging question. It asks leaders to look beyond today’s workload and consider how their products, services and business models might need to change.

His hour-long session will include live AI demonstrations and enterprise case studies. It will explore how leaders can improve their current business while developing new opportunities and preparing for longer-term change.

The Event

The event will be in English.

The full programme and to book your tickets, visit: https://luma.com/ai-in-practice-cyprus

The organisers thank:

Silver Partners Growth Hacking Cyprus, RSEVEN, Mel’s Digital and Makkas Winery.
Supporters: Cyprus Computer Society, XValley Tech, Business Society Accelerator, Startup School Cyprus and Carierista.
Community Partners: EIT Community Hub Cyprus, CYENS, Women in Tech, Startup Greece, ECECT, CITEA, IET Cyprus and Cyprus_IT

Follow updates about the event on social media at #PanisMeetups