Transport Minister Marios Demetriades said recently that increasing winter tourism to the island was a major goal.

House and flat prices rose a quarterly 2.3% and 1.3% in January to March 2017 respectively, a sign that even as economic growth and construction activity pick up and the unemployment rate remains in the double-digit area, demand is not met by supply, the Cyprus division of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) said.

Plans for a capital raise in the Cyprus Cooperative Bank (CCB) are at an advanced stage, attracting interest by global investment banks, sources have told the Cyprus News Agency.

July saw a 77% increase in Israeli tourists to Cyprus in comparison with July 2016 while hotel searches for Cyprus have increased by 400% according to a study by hotel price comparison website HotelsCombined.

Bank of Cyprus, the island’s largest lender, has said that it will post a loss of €550m in its half-year results as a result of an increase of provisions for loan impairments by €500m and will return to profitability next year.

The Paphos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI) is promoting plans for a jetty in Paphos and a jetty or marina in Polis Chrysochous.

The trade deficit in Cyprus marked an increase of 21.25% in the first five months of 2017 and from €1.660,3 million it was increased to €2.108,2 million.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc said it is considering buying natural gas from Israel’s Leviathan field and with gas from Aphrodite, turning the eastMed into a major gas producing hub.

The record-high tourist arrivals, which rose an annual 15% over the past 7-month period edging 2 million is a credit positive for Cypriot lenders, Moody’s Investors Service said.

Public finances are fully in check and within the targets set in the 2017 government budget, Finance Minister Harris Georgiades said recently.