Breaking news

Limassol Seeks Strategic Growth As A Year-Round Tourism Destination

Overview Of Limassol’s Tourism Transformation

Andreas Tsouloftas, President of the Limassol Regional Tourism Board (Etap), highlighted the need for targeted measures to support tourism and strengthen local economic activity. Recent meetings with hoteliers and industry stakeholders confirmed tourism’s central role in Limassol’s development strategy, particularly as the sector adjusts to changing demand patterns.

Collaborative Efforts And Strategic Restructuring

Coordination between state institutions, local authorities, and private stakeholders is being intensified to improve Limassol’s competitive position. Ongoing restructuring across Cyprus’ tourism sector places additional importance on extending the season beyond peak summer months. Limassol is expected to play a key role in this transition by diversifying its offering and attracting visitors throughout the year.

Innovative Initiatives And Infrastructure Enhancements

Planned projects focus on improving visitor experience while highlighting local identity. Initiatives include the development of thematic routes, scenic viewpoints in rural areas, and designated photo locations in wine-producing regions, including Commandaria villages. Urban upgrades are also underway, with targeted aesthetic interventions such as curated graffiti projects in Agros and Agios Konstantinos.

Embracing Digital Transformation And Sustainable Tourism

Digital tools are being introduced to improve accessibility and visitor engagement. A new tourism website featuring an AI-powered chatbot is expected to provide real-time information, while QR codes at key locations will offer additional context for visitors. Investment is also being directed toward niche segments such as diving tourism. Sustainability remains part of the strategy, with plans for an ecological route aimed at promoting environmentally focused travel.

A Vision For Year-Round Economic Growth

Current initiatives are aimed at positioning Limassol as a year-round destination supported by diversified tourism products and improved infrastructure. Focus remains on coordinated execution across sectors to ensure long-term economic impact and resilience within the tourism industry.

payabl. Launches Click To Pay With Visa To Help Merchants Improve Checkout Conversion And Reduce Fraud

payabl. has launched Click to Pay with Visa, a new card payment experience designed to help merchants reduce checkout friction, improve authorisation rates, and deliver a faster, more secure online payment journey.

WhatsApp Image 2026 04 16 at 10.37.46

Click to Pay replaces manual card number entry with a token-based checkout experience. Once a customer’s card is enrolled, they can complete purchases in just a few clicks, without re-entering card details. The result is a faster checkout that mirrors the ease of contactless payments in-store, while maintaining strong security standards.

For merchants, the impact is measurable. According to Visa, Click to Pay can deliver up to a 11% uplift in authorisation rates compared to manual card entry, alongside significant fraud reduction through network tokenisation. Faster checkout also helps reduce cart abandonment, particularly on mobile, where typing card details remains a major source of friction.

“With online checkout, every extra step costs conversion,” said Breno Oliveira, Chief Product Officer at payabl. “Visa Click to Pay removes one of the biggest points of friction at the moment of purchase. It helps merchants approve more legitimate transactions, reduce fraud exposure, and give customers the experience they already expect.” 

Visa Click to Pay is available through payabl. checkout, enabling merchants to activate the service without additional integration complexity. The solution works across devices and supports existing security flows, including 3D Secure where required.

“Consumers have come to expect a highly personalised, intuitive, and seamless payment experience, whether they’re buying a coffee, shopping online, or applying for a loan. Visa Click to Pay aims to meet these expectations by removing the need to manually enter card details, thus enhancing both security and the consumer experience in online card payments. With the support of network tokens, Visa Click to Pay enabled a more secure and smoother transaction process, available in many countries around the world. According to European VisaNet data, Visa Click to Pay may allow a 4.5% uplift in merchant sales, meaning a possible annual increase of €51 bn in SMB eCommerce sales in the UK and EU,” said Michael Ioannides, Country Manager, Visa Cyprus.

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe. 

Checkout expectations are rising across Europe 

Insights from payabl.’s State of European Checkouts report underline why frictionless checkout experiences are becoming a commercial priority. The research found that consumers cite speed (46%), convenience (44%), and security (41%) as the top reasons for choosing a payment method. More than half of consumers (53%) are open to switching to newer payment methods and nearly half (48%) are open to one-click checkouts, provided the solution is backed by a trusted brand such as Visa.

“Checkout is no longer just the final step of a transaction,” said Oliveira. “It is a critical part of the overall customer experience. Our research shows that 43% of European consumers will not return to a site after a poor checkout experience. For merchants across the UK and Europe, that translates directly into lost customers and lost revenue.”

The launch forms part of payabl.’s broader focus on checkout optimisation, helping merchants improve conversion, approvals, and payment reliability at scale. Click to Pay with Visa is now live for eligible merchants across Europe.

Aretilaw firm
The Future Forbes Realty Global Properties
Uol
eCredo

Become a Speaker

Become a Speaker

Become a Partner

Subscribe for our weekly newsletter