Filenews 31 October 2025
Despite the fluid and ever-changing international political and economic environment, Paphos recorded remarkable growth in the two years 2024-2025, with tourism and land development as the main drivers. At the same time, new sectors of activity are acquiring an increasingly important role in the economic development of the province, with the result that Paphos is at a key crossroads for its development in the coming decades.
This is emphasized by the president of the Paphos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Giorgos Mais, speaking of the necessity for the state to immediately come to the aid of actions required to ensure this development prospect and for the economic indicators of the province to continue their upward trend.
Referring to the dominant economic component of Paphos, tourism, the president of the local NLG points out that according to official data, tourist arrivals in 2024 amounted to approximately 1.5 million, which corresponds to 36% of all arrivals in Cyprus, generating 1.15 billion euros in tourist currency.
Paphos has about 30,000 beds, which correspond to 33% of the pan-Cypriot total, with over 60% of them corresponding to 4 and 5 star hotel units, he stressed. Annually Paphos attracts about 39% of total arrivals, with the main markets being the United Kingdom, Israel, Poland, Germany and Greece, while positive prospects are developing from France, the Scandinavian countries, the Baltics and the Middle East.
Regarding the second main pillar of Paphos, that of construction, Giorgos Mais, pointed out that in the real estate sector, stabilizing trends were recorded in 2024, while in December of the same year Paphos recorded a 34% increase in sales compared to the corresponding month of 2023. For the January-August 2025 period, he said, sales increased by 15% compared to 2024, despite a decrease in demand from Chinese and Russian nationals. This loss was offset by increased demand from Israel, Lebanon and other Middle Eastern and European markets, he said.
At the same time, the retail, industry and agriculture sectors show positive dynamics, while important infrastructure and urban development projects, many of which were proposed or supported by the Chamber, he pointed out, further strengthen the prospect of the Paphos district.
Within this positive outline, Mr. Mais emphasizes, and despite the progress made in the city and province of Paphos, the new social and economic conditions nevertheless create increased needs. Population growth, the evolution of society and the transition to the digital age require not only new infrastructure projects, but also modern practices and methodologies, he remarked.
In this context, the Paphos Chamber of Commerce and Industry calls on the State to proceed with decisions and measures that will contribute to the further development of Paphos, so that our area becomes a pole of attraction for foreign investments and visitors. Our central goal is for Paphos to emerge as a modern, internationally competitive destination for quality tourism and large investments, he stressed.
In this direction, Mr. Mais specifies the requests, the NLG suggests, among other things, the promotion and implementation of new development projects, with an emphasis on the promotion and enrichment of our tourism product, the establishment of targeted tax and urban planning incentives to strengthen investments, especially in the fields of sports infrastructure, land development, education and health, as well as the enhancement of Paphos Airport's air connectivity to new destinations, in order to attract tourists from more markets.
The president of the Paphos Chamber also speaks of the need to promote the projects related to the connection of the airport with the tourist area of Paphos, as well as the improvement of the airport facilities, the reduction of energy costs for the industry, the improvement of infrastructure in industrial areas and zones, which will upgrade the image and functionality of the areas, the completion of the road network in the Agia Varvara Industrial Area and the relocation of illegal livestock premises to appropriate areas and the immediate promotion of the procedures and the start of works for the construction of the Paphos Marina.
Strengthening the economic launch of the province, said Giorgos Mais, will also be the encouragement of the installation of other educational institutions in Paphos, the continuation and acceleration of the completion of the Paphos - Polis Chrysochous highway, the construction of the road axis that will connect Kato Paphos with the Coral Bay area in Pegeia and the promotion of the construction project of the Western Bypass.
In conclusion, Mr. Mais particularly pointed out that Paphos is no longer limited to the traditional axes of tourism and land development. In recent years, two new dynamic pillars have emerged, he stressed, higher and higher education and services.
The successful course of Neapolis University, combined with the School of Tourism, Hospitality and Entrepreneurship Management of CUT and the operation of the American University of Beirut, create the conditions for the development of Paphos into an emerging educational center, he said.
