Deputy Ministers for Tourism and Shipping Savvas Perdios and Vassilis Demetriades welcomed the assurances by Royal Caribbean’s interest to invest in Cyprus, expressing their readiness to enhance the island’s cooperation with the cruise liner.

Online shopping in Cyprus grew by a faster rate than the EU average as Covid-19 restrictions accelerated an already growing trend in favour of re-commerce, but still remained among the lowest in the bloc.

The possibility of a fourth dose of a vaccine against Covid-19 will be discussed towards September, while it is expected that discussions will start in May on the virus being classed as an endemic one, Professor of Microbiology/Molecular Virology at the University of Nicosia Medical School, Dr Petros Karayiannis, told CNA.

Interest rates for corporate deposits fell to a new historical low, which in December 2021 stood at 0.02%, while the interest rate for household deposits remained unchanged at 0.06%.

Tourist arrivals in Cyprus during 2021 increased by 206.7% compared to 2020, according to data released Thursday by the Statistical Service of Cyprus. However, the arrivals decreased by 51.3% compared to 2019, which was historically the best year for Cyprus tourism.

The Committee of Experts on the Evaluation of Anti-Money Laundering Measures and the Financing of Terrorism (MONEYVAL) is a permanent monitoring body of the Council of Europe, which assesses States’ compliance with principal international standards to counter money laundering and terrorist financing.

Cyprus recorded the third biggest increase in share of renewable energy used in transport but was still ranked sixth from the bottom in the EU 27.

The establishment of a new hospitality school in Platres is aiming to tackle both labour shortages in the hospitality industry, as well as the issue of rural flight, people flocking to urban areas, particularly in younger age groups.

As UK partners signal the island can expect higher volumes of British summer holiday seekers, Cyprus tourism stakeholders are optimistic that 2022 will be a year of recovery following the coronavirus crisis.

The Council of Ministers today approved small changes to the covid measures in place, including lifting the prohibition of entry in food and drink establishments and theatres to unvaccinated minors between 12 and 17 years of age and extending the "test to stay" measure to the National Guard. New measures also include changes to the criteria for employees of homes for the elderly and a reduction to five months - the allowed time that can elapse before a booster shot is required.