The Cyprus Tourism Organisation (CTO) is aiming for arrivals in 2016 of 2.9 million following last year’s record of 2.7 million, MPs at the House Finance Committee heard recently.

The share of renewables in energy consumption for Cyprus rose to 9% in 2014 from 8.1% in 2013 and just 3.1% in 2004, but it still well below the EU average of 16%.

The Paphos regional board of tourism is pushing for direct flights connecting the town with Israel as part of a wider plan to increase overseas visitor numbers to the popular coastal town.

The government-owned Natural Gas Public Company, widely known by its Greek acronym DEFA, said that it concluded the tender process for short-term natural gas supply to the Vasilikos power plant without reaching an agreement with any bidder.

Following the Larnaca municipal council’s rejection of a request to allow the temporary operation of a company that provides logistics for hydrocarbon exploration, the government is now looking to find alternative venues.

Two of the most popular and internationally recognized ISO standards have been revised and reissued in September 2015. The new ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System standards are featuring important changes and adopt a new and interesting perspective.

Applications for the registration of new companies in Cyprus increased by 15.5% in January 2016 compared to January 2015.

Trade deficit was €3,077.6 million in January-November 2015 compared to €3,423.4 million in the corresponding period of 2014, according to publication 'Intra-Extra E.U Trade Statistics (Summarised Data)' for November 2015, by the Statistical Service of Cyprus.

The bank deposit guarantee fund hasmet the target of raising €120 million, a finance ministry representative told lawmakers recently.

Cobalt, a Cyprus based airline, said it had secured an unspecified amount of capital injection from an unnamed investor based in Hong Kong, and plans to begin its operations in the spring of 2016 as a low-cost carrier.