The Deputy Ministry of Tourism is employing the dynamic tool of Fam Trips (Familiarisation Trips) for the tourist promotion of Cyprus abroad, aiming to attract tourists.
It is relying on travel agents, journalists, bloggers, and influencers, offering them a trip to the island that includes visits to hotels, attractions, and events so they can experience Cyprus firsthand and subsequently recommend it to future clients.
The Fam Trip is a new tool for attracting tourists, as it combines the personal experiences of the participants in these trips, who highlight the beauties of Cyprus through posts on social media, reports in electronic media, and articles in the press.
The 2026 budget for the Deputy Ministry of Tourism includes actions for the development of a strategic promotion and marketing plan for the tourism product, aiming to strengthen the destination’s distinct identity. During the presentation of the budget to the Parliamentary Committee on Finance this coming Friday, reference is expected to be made to the promotion activities.
Their purpose, according to a note from the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, is to strengthen the distinct identity of Cyprus as a tourist destination, by capitalising on and promoting our country’s comparative advantages.
The Deputy Ministry has gradually shifted its mix of actions, focusing primarily on digital marketing. At the same time, it continues to include traditional methods of promotion in its activities, such as participation in international tourism exhibitions, the organisation of fam trips, etc.
For promotional purposes, a total of approximately €31.99 million has been included in the Deputy Ministry of Tourism’s budget for 2026.
From this amount, the expenditure of €6.10 million has been deducted, which concerns credits for the organisation of the EU Presidency in the first half of 2026.
In detail, it includes credits of €6.76 million for hospitality purposes, €27.7 million for information campaigns, and €3.6 million for participation in exhibitions and other events.
Furthermore, the Deputy Ministry is placing particular emphasis on the continuous upgrading of the tourism product and the enrichment of infrastructure and services provided across the entire territory of free Cyprus.
This action is being implemented with targeted grant schemes aimed at specific geographical areas, tourism businesses, or local authorities.
The Deputy Ministry of Tourism’s 2026 budget also includes grant schemes, mainly concerning the promotion of special forms of tourism and the upgrading of infrastructure and services, with a total provision of €13.22 million, of which €9.38 million concerns the Recovery Plan and €3.84 million are national resources.
