Filenews 14 October 2025 - by Dora Christodoulou
The effort of the Paphos district for several years to develop religious tourism to the extent that it becomes a constant component of the annual flow of visitors to the island, continues at all levels.
Following the recent involvement of the Church of Cyprus, through the Office of Touring Religious Excursions, in the efforts to internationalize the important religious treasures and attractions of Paphos, the province through its competent bodies, participates in another European religious tourism program. This is the Religious Spiritual and Pilgrimage European Cultural Tourism with Sustainability (RESPECT) program, which aims to examine, analyze, develop and promote policies and products related to religious, spiritual and pilgrimage tourism in various destinations in Europe, with a view to sustainability, digitalization, innovation and resilience.
Nine partners from Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Norway, Sweden, Hungary, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moldova and Belgium are participating in this project. The project is 80% funded by the European Union and the duration of the program is 36 months, while the total budget of the project amounts to €2 million.
Paphos is estimated to absorb a fund of €200,000 under the program. Some of the actions are related to the effort made in recent years by the province so that the route in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul is registered with the Council of Europe.
