Hotels and other Tourist Establishments

Last Update on 28/03/2024

Operation of Hotels and Other Tourist Establishments

General Information

Individuals or legal entities wishing to operate a hotel or other tourist establishment in the Republic of Cyprus must obtain an operating licence for the business from the Deputy Ministry of Tourism.

In order to obtain a licence to operate a hotel or tourist establishment in the Republic of Cyprus, you must be an individual or legal entity resident in the Republic of Cyprus or a citizen of another EU Member State or a legal entity registered in another Member State.

Α. Change of manager of licensed hotel

In order to apply to change the manager of a licensed hotel, you must submit the application form entitled ‘Hotel Manager Details’ either via the Cyprus national contact point (PSC Cyprus) or directly to the relevant authority.

Β. Hotel or tourist establishment operating licence

In order to apply for a licence to operate a hotel or tourist establishment in the Republic of Cyprus, you must submit the form entitled ‘Application for Hotel Operating Licence’. As numerous checks need to be carried out on receipt of the application, it must be submitted directly to a District Office of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism (listed below). A district officer checks that the application is complete in the applicant’s presence, so as to avoid any delay and unnecessary inconvenience to the applicant.

Contact Details of the Competent Authority:

Head Office – Deputy Ministry of Tourism
P.O.Box 24535, 1390 Nicosia
Tel. +357 22691100, +357 22691293
Fax +357 22338541
Email: AnthieCharalambous@visitcyprus.com
Website: http://www.tourism.gov.cy

Ayia Napa District Office
Address: 68 Nissi Avenue, 1st  floor
5330, Ayia Napa
Tel. +357 23 721100
Fax +357 23723166
Email: AyiaNapaInspectors@visitcyprus.com

Larnaca District Office
Address: 33 Arch. Makarios III Avenue,
Frixos Business Court B, Apartment 307,
6017, Larnaca
Tel. +357 24 658777, +357 24 658727
Fax +357 24 658022
Email: LarnakaInspectors@visitcyprus.com

Limassol  District Office
Address: 6 Vasili Vryonide Street,
Gala Chambers, 2nd floor, Office 2020
3021, Limassol
Tel. +357 25 760460, +357 25 760641
Fax +357 25 740202
Email: InspectorsLemesos@visitcyprus.com

Nicosia District Office
Address: 19 Lemesou Avenue, Aglantzia
2112, Nicosia
Tel. +357 22691189, +357 22691202
Fax +357 22330704
Email: InspectorsNicosia@visitcyprus.com

Paphos District Office
Address: 5 Neophytou Nicolaide,
Synergatiko Tamieftirio Ekpaideftikon Kyprou Ltd Court,
Office 201, 2nd  floor,
8011, Paphos
Tel. +357 26 938388, +357 26 954240
Fax +357 26 912294, +357 26 950327
Email: PafosInspectors@visitcyprus.com

Polis Chrysochous District Office
Address: 2 Vasileos Stasioikou A’,
8820, Polis Chrysochous
Tel. +357 26 323234
Fax +357 26 322862
Email: InspectorsPolis@visitcyprus.com

  1. A. The form to apply to change the manager of a licensed hotel must be accompanied by:

    1. Copies of academic diplomas (where applicable).

  2. B. The form to apply for a hotel or tourist establishment operating licence must be accompanied by the following documents:

    1. A current Health Certificate issued under the Food (Control and Sale) Law (applies to hotels with on-site leisure centre(s));
    2. A current Swimming Pool Health Certificate (for each swimming pool);
    3. A Department of Electrical and Mechanical Services Certificate approving the swimming pool’s electrical and mechanical systems (for each swimming pool);
    4. An unqualified report by a Lift Engineer (for each lift) (only applies to hotel businesses with lifts);
    5. An Oil Storage Licence (If a licence is NOT required, an Declaration is submitted);
    6. Periodic Inspection Report of the LPG installation/storage, without comments (in case this is NOT required for the company, a Declaration is submitted).
    7. A copy of a Fire Department report for the entire business.
    8. A letter from the Department of Labour Inspection confirming that a Written Risk Assessment (WRA) has been prepared.
    9. A copy of the planning consent for the hotel (including the covering letter, the terms of the planning consent and the approved plans for the planning consent).
    10. A duly completed ‘Hotel Manager’ form (in ‘Relevant Documents’).
    11. If the business is owned by a legal entity (company), you must submit:
      • a certified copy of the certificate of incorporation of the company;
      • a certified copy of the [certificate] of directors and secretary;
      • a certified copy of the memorandum and articles of association.

    The copies must be recent copies certified by the Registrar of Companies.

Operating licence and classification fees

A table containing all the fees for the various types of tourist establishments – as well as licence renewal and classification fees – is available in the “Applications and Documents” section; see”Licence and Classification Fees 2021″.

Licence fees can be paid online using the JCC SMART service.

Applicants are notified of the licensing decision within two months of the date on which the application and supporting documents were received in due form.

Operating licences are valid for three years from the date of issue and are renewed automatically every three years subject to payment of the necessary fee to the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and provided that the current certificates required in order to obtain an operating licence are submitted.

Hotel classification

Hotels receive their final classification from the Deputy Ministry of Tourism within two weeks of issue of the operating licence.

Classifications are renewed every three years. Owners must apply for classification to be renewed at least six (6) months before the current classification expires.

Provisional hotel classification

The Deputy Ministry of Tourism may grant provisional classification based on the planning consent (in terms of the number of rooms) and subject to receipt of signed confirmation from the owner of the standard to which the hotel is to be finished. Provisional classification applies pending compulsory final classification.

Boutique hotel and suites hotel classification

Boutique hotel

A hotel may be classed as a boutique hotel by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, provided that:

  • it has no more than one hundred (100) rooms (urban hotel) or eighty (80) rooms (all other hotels); and
  • it fulfils at least one (1) of the following criteria:
  • it has a particular theme or décor and/or design throughout;
  • each room has a different themed décor;
  • it has a particular themed décor for every public room.

Suites hotel

A hotel may be classed as a suites hotel by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, provided that 80 % of the rooms measure at least forty (40) square metres.

Administrative Action Against a Competent Authority’s Decision

Any person may file an Administrative Action at the Administrative Court against a decision, act or omission of any competent authority or body.
Pursuant to Article 146 of the Constitution, an Administrative Action may be lodged within 75 days from the date of the decision or act or omission or from the day when such decision or act or omission was notified to the applicant.

The Administrative Court acts as a cassation Court and not as a substantive Court. In other words, the Administrative Court may:

I. Dismiss the Administrative Action
II. Annul wholly or partially the contested decision or act
III. Compel the relevant authority or body to take a certain action

After a decision is annulled, the authority and/or public body must reverse things back to the state prior to when the concerned decision and/or act was executed and reexamine.

Appeal Information

An Appeal may be filed against the Administrative Court’s first-instance decision within a period of 42 days from the date such a decision was given.

At the Supreme Court (Court of Appeal Section) hearing, the contested issue of the appeal remains the legality of the decision or act already adjudicated. However, such a revision of the legality of the decision or act is solely examined on the matters and the extent that the two parties have limited the reasons in the relevant notice of appeal.

The decision adopted by the Supreme Court is considered final in relation to the matter that has been judged.

The Deputy Ministry of Tourism may inspect a hotel or tourist establishment at its own initiative at any time, in order to check that the hotel or tourist establishment has an operating licence and is not in breach of the terms of its licence.

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