The Cyprus Hospitality Awards 2026 concluded with two important distinctions for the Municipality of Ayia Napa, which were awarded as part of the event of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism for World Tourism Day 2026, which took place on September 30, 2026 at the Ayia Napa Marina. The event was held under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, while this year's theme was "Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism".
The Municipality of Ayia Napa was distinguished in Pillar 1 – Hospitality Experience, in the category “Event Experience – Group”, as well as in Pillar 2 – Online Reputation, in the category “Blue Flag Beach”, with Makronissos Beach – Municipality of Ayia Napa. In the first pillar, the distinctions arose through justified nominations from the public, while in the second the winners emerged from the Online Reputation Management system of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, based on visitor ratings on international digital platforms and data from 2025.
The two distinctions reflect in practice the strategic direction "Agia Napa A Mediterranean Destination All Year Round": an Ayia Napa that invests in quality, in the diversification of the tourism product and in the creation of authentic experiences throughout the year.
This strategy is not just a communication slogan. It is demonstrated through the actions themselves, the cultural events, festivals, thematic events, gastronomy, the natural environment, high-standard beaches, history and cultural heritage that make up a complete destination experience.
For the Municipality of Ayia Napa, international recognition is built through an experiential tourism development strategy: the visitor is not only invited to see a place, but to experience it, get to know it, connect with it and transfer this experience internationally.
The distinction in the "Event Experience - Group" category is of particular importance, as it highlights culture as one of the strongest pillars of modern hospitality.
Through cultural productions, festivals, traditional arts, music, dance, gastronomy, folk creation and experiential contact with history, the Municipality of Ayia Napa seeks to convey to the visitor not only an image of Cyprus, but knowledge about Cyprus.
Hospitality thus acquires a deeper and more substantial content. It is not limited to the provision of quality tourist services, but emerges as a vehicle for transmitting the history, culture, tradition and collective memory of the place, incorporating the distinct identity and cultural heritage of all the Municipal Districts of the Municipality of Ayia Napa: Ayia Napa, Sotira, Liopetri, Avgorou and Achna.
The visitor leaves not only having seen a beach or an attraction, but having learned something essential about the place, its people and its cultural identity.
The Mayor of Ayia Napa, Mr. Christos Zannetou, referring to the double distinction, emphasized that this is the result of a broader strategy that aims to strengthen Ayia Napa as a comprehensive tourist destination twelve months a year:
"The strategy "Agia Napa a Mediterranean Destination All Year Round" expresses exactly the tourism development model we want for Ayia Napa. It is not just a slogan. It is a strategy that is proven daily through the actions, events, culture, beaches, gastronomy, history and experiences that we create throughout the year. The international recognition of a destination is not built only through its promotion. It is built primarily through the real experience of the visitor."
The Mayor added that culture is an essential tool for differentiating and strengthening Ayia Napa's international identity:
"We want the visitor to leave Ayia Napa having experienced something more than its natural landscape. To have experienced Cyprus, its history, traditions, gastronomy, arts and people. This transmission of knowledge and experience is for us a key component of authentic Cypriot hospitality."
Mr. Zannetou also expressed warm thanks to the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr. Costas Koumis, as well as to the Deputy Ministry of Tourism for their cooperation and support for the Local Government and the country's tourist destinations.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr. Costas Koumis, delivered the official welcome address at the event, which was organized by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, while the Cyprus Hospitality Awards 2026 ceremony was also held in its context. In his speech, he highlighted the significant economic, social and cultural contribution of tourism and hospitality in Cyprus.
The Mayor of Ayia Napa noted in this regard:
"I would like to particularly thank the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mr. Costas Koumis, for the cooperation, continuous communication and support of the Deputy Ministry in the efforts of the local authorities. Enhancing quality, extending the tourist season, innovation and strengthening the international competitiveness of Cypriot tourism require synergies and a common strategy. Today's two distinctions give us even greater impetus to continue in this direction."
The second distinction, for Makronissos Beach, is particularly important, as in the Pillar of Online Reputation the winners emerge through the reviews of the visitors themselves on platforms such as TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Google and Facebook.
This recognition confirms the close relationship between the quality of the real experience and the international digital reputation of a destination.
In the modern tourism reality, reputation is not only shaped through organized advertising. It is created daily by the guest experience, the ratings, images, recommendations and stories that visitors share internationally.
This is also the core of the "Agia Napa A Mediterranean Destination All Year Round" strategy: the visitor's experience itself to function as the destination's strongest ambassador and to be transformed into international recognition, positive online reputation and repeat visits.
The event was attended by a delegation from the Municipality of Ayia Napa, consisting of the Mayor of Ayia Napa, Mr. Christos Zannetou, the Municipal Secretary, Mr. Fotos Kykillos, the retired Beach Inspector, Mr. Dimitris Pateras, the Municipal Councilor, Ms. Anastasia Tsokki, and Ms. Tasoula Kallenou, Mayor's Office - Press, Information and Promotion Department, member of the Service Team of the Cultural Service.
The wider event was also attended by Members of Parliament, Ambassadors, representatives of the Local Government and representatives of important bodies in the tourism industry, including PASYXE, STEK, ACTTA, PASYDIXE and Hermes Airports.
The double distinction at the Cyprus Hospitality Awards 2026 further strengthens Ayia Napa's position as a destination that strategically invests in quality, experience, culture, sustainability, innovation and its international tourism reputation.
The strategy "Agia Napa a Mediterranean Destination All Year Round" thus acquires specific and measurable content: through a continuous calendar of actions, cultural experiences and tourist products, Ayia Napa transforms seasonality into a permanent presence, the visit into an experiential experience, culture into a tool for transmitting knowledge and experience into international recognition.
Because the real power of a destination's reputation lies not only in what it promotes, but in what it offers, in what it teaches, in what it makes the visitor feel and, ultimately, in what they choose to remember and convey to the world.
