Cyprus Business Now: tourism, fiscal surplus, AI, Stelios Foundation, ERA

by Digital Hub Cyprus

Source: cyprus-mail.com

Cyprus’ tourism revenue rose by 0.2 per cent in June 2026, despite tourist arrivals falling by 1.7 per cent, as higher spending per visitor offset the drop in visitor numbers.

Specifically, tourism revenue reached €423.1 million, compared with €422.3 million in June 2025, according to figures released on Monday by the statistical service (Cystat).

Tourist arrivals declined to 489,965, from 498,527 in the corresponding month of 2025.

However, the slight monthly increase was not enough to reverse the weaker performance recorded during the first half of the year.

For the January to June 2026 period, tourism revenue is estimated at €1,221.3m, compared with €1,378.1m during the same period of 2025, representing an 11.4 per cent decrease.

Meanwhile, average expenditure per tourist increased by 2 per cent, reaching €863.62 in June 2026 from €847.01 a year earlier.


Cyprus recorded a general government fiscal surplus of €770.6 million in the first seven months of 2026, equivalent to 2 per cent of GDP, according to preliminary figures released on Monday by the statistical service (Cystat).

The surplus was €11m higher than the €759.6m recorded during the corresponding period of 2025, although its share of GDP declined slightly from 2.1 per cent.

Total government revenue rose by 4.1 per cent to €8.91 billion between January and July 2026, compared with €8.56bn in the same period a year earlier.

Cystat said the increase reflected an additional €354.1m in revenue over the first seven months of 2025.

Revenue from taxes on income and wealth rose by 7.7 per cent, an increase of €157.5m, reaching €2.19bn compared with €2.03bn a year earlier.


Cyprus should focus not on being the biggest in artificial intelligence, but on being “the most agile”, while placing citizens and trust at the centre of its ambitions, according to National AI Taskforce member Orfhlaith Ni Chorcora.

Ni Chorcora is a senior IT executive with more than 30 years of international experience, including senior roles at Oracle and Equinix. Her work has focused on digital transformation, ecosystem development and building strategic partnerships across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Commenting on the AI strategy, she said one of its ambitions is “to promote research and innovation using AI and to ensure Cyprus continues to hold its competitive position as an innovation hub in the Eastern Mediterranean”.

Central to the success of that vision, she explained, is the belief that such innovation thrives where there is a diverse ecosystem of players, including researchers, funders, founders, technology providers, innovation hubs and exceptional talent, combined with friendly regulation, ease of doing business and a culture of trust.


The Stelios Philanthropic Foundation announced up to €260,000 in direct financial support for the families of those killed in the ferry sinking off the northern coast of Cyprus.

Eight people have been confirmed dead following the sinking on August 30, while another 18 remain missing.

Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, creator and owner of the easy family of brands and founder and president of the Stelios Philanthropic Foundation, “offers his most sincere condolences to the families and loved ones” of those confirmed dead, according to an announcement issued on Monday.

Moreover, the announcement said that Sir Stelios “sends his thoughts and prayers to the families and loved ones of the 18 people still reported as missing as a result of the sinking of the ferry”.

As “a small but tangible gesture of support and solidarity towards the affected families”, the foundation is offering a €10,000 cash donation to the next of kin of each person confirmed dead because of the sinking within one month of the incident.


The Cyprus Treasury’s Power BI platform has attracted 537 unique users in the nearly five months since its launch, accountant-general Andreas Antoniades said.

Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), Antoniades said the platform formed part of the Treasury’s broader strategy to upgrade its digital services and strengthen transparency, accountability and efficiency in fiscal management.

The Power BI tool provides citizens with reliable and regularly updated information on the implementation of the state budget.

Users can access ready-made and customised reports, interactive dashboards and graphical presentations showing monthly budget execution by ministry, government department and revenue and expenditure category.


Four ERA department stores in Cyprus changed hands for a nominal €1 after Gencom Ltd agreed to take over their leases, staff and outstanding supplier orders worth about €4.5 million.

While the commercial terms were announced by Ermes in May 2025, a detailed competition decision published in the Official Gazette on August 28 provides a fuller picture of what was transferred, who controls the buyer and the business plan behind the acquisition.

The agreement was signed on May 8, 2025 and notified to the Commission for the Protection of Competition on June 20. It was unanimously approved on July 17, while completion of the transfer was announced on September 1, 2025.

The transaction covered ERA Mall of Cyprus in Nicosia, ERA Apollon in Limassol, ERA Korivos in Paphos and ERA Zenon in Larnaca.

Ownership of the properties did not pass to Gencom. Instead, the buyer acquired the leases of the premises, together with the stores’ furniture, infrastructure, equipment, trademarks and website domain names.


Cyprus industrial output prices rose by 4.4 per cent year-on-year in July 2026, according to figures released by the statistical service (Cystat) on Monday.

The index reached 128.2 units, using 2021 as a base value of 100 points, marking a 2 per cent increase compared with June 2026.

Over the first seven months of the year, spanning January to July 2026, the index recorded overall growth of 1.3 per cent compared with the corresponding period of 2025.

On a month-on-month basis, prices in electricity supply surged by 9.9 per cent, recording the sharpest increase among the main industrial sectors.


Up to 400 ships carrying around 6,000 seafarers remain unable to leave the Persian Gulf safely, six months after the Middle East conflict began, according to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

IMO Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez said the situation in the Strait of Hormuz remained unresolved, leaving thousands of seafarers living and working under “conditions of heightened risk and uncertainty”.

While some vessels and their crews have managed to leave the region, hundreds remain unable to depart safely.

The disruption is affecting a much larger number of maritime workers. According to the IMO’s latest informationmore than 20,000 seafarers are affected across the region, alongside port workers and offshore crews.


Eurobank announced on Monday that it spent €4.94 million repurchasing 1,077,536 of its own shares on Euronext Athens between August 24 and 28.

The shares were acquired at an average price of €4.5820 each, according to the bank’s latest announcement.

The purchases were carried out through Eurobank Equities as part of the bank’s ongoing share buyback programme.

Eurobank acquired 226,110 shares for €1.03m on August 24, followed by 200,386 shares worth €920,933.80 the next day.

Purchases continued on August 26, when the bank bought 230,799 shares for €1.05m. A further 218,692 shares were acquired for €1.01m on August 27, followed by 201,549 shares for €929,657.79 on August 28.


The Corporate Cyprus Padel League will return for a second year with record participation and a new partnership with the Marcos Baghdatis Tennis Academy, according to an announcement from the organisers.

It said that 40 teams and 140 players from companies and organisations in Nicosia and Limassol have registered for the 2026 competition, compared with 27 teams and 104 players in its inaugural year.

Registrations have now closed, while a waiting list has been created following further interest from companies wishing to participate.

According to the announcement, the league aims to bring Cyprus’ business community together through sport, combining competition and teamwork with entertainment and opportunities to build professional connections.


Greek systemic banks have been placed among the European banking sector’s strongest performers by UBS, which has issued a buy recommendation on all four major Greek banking groups and identified scope for further gains in their share valuations.

In its report, the fingdings of which were shared by Greek business outlet Newmoney, UBS highlighted Eurobank and Alpha Bank in particular as investors look towards their wider regional operations, including their presence in Cyprus.

UBS said Greek banks were among the main beneficiaries of the country’s continuing economic recovery, while more effective use of their capital could unlock further value for shareholders.

Despite recovering from lows reached during the crisis in the Middle East, the banks’ valuations remain attractive, with Greek lenders continuing to trade at a clear discount to comparable European banks.


EU industrial production rebounded in 2025 after two consecutive annual declines, with the value of sold manufactured goods rising by 2.9 per cent in inflation-adjusted terms, according to a report from Eurostat.

The increase marked the first annual rise since 2022, following declines of 1.5 per cent in 2023 and 1.9 per cent in 2024.

For Cyprus, the European recovery came alongside solid growth in domestic manufacturing, with Cystat data showing manufacturing production increased by 4.4 per cent during the first 11 months of 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier.

In nominal terms, the value of EU sold production rose from €5.87 trillion in 2024 to €6.09 trillion in 2025, according to Eurostat.


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