Eighty-one cases involving illegal short-term rental properties are being referred to the courts, following complaints submitted to the Deputy Ministry of Tourism by the Association of Self-Catering Tourist Accommodation over the past two years.
Speaking to Politis, the association’s president Konstantinos Karakontis said the body has filed a total of 320 complaints regarding illegal short-term rental units, with 81 cases now proceeding to court.
He noted that under the current legal framework, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism is not permitted to carry out on-site inspections.
“We receive regular updates from the deputy ministry on the progress of the complaints. Some properties comply after receiving warnings, while others remain unresolved and are therefore referred to the courts,” Karakontis said.
Size of the sector
The Association of Self-Catering Tourist Accommodation was established in 2019 and represents around 300 companies managing between 6,500 and 7,000 units. According to Karakontis, 99.9 percent of these properties are properly licensed.
Based on the association’s estimates, the total number of self-catering tourist accommodations rises to between 14,000 and 15,000 during the peak period from June to October. During the winter months, the figure drops to approximately 11,000 to 12,000 units.
Contribution to tourism
Karakontis also underlined the role of short-term rentals in Cyprus’s tourism recovery and the record figures recorded in recent years.
“The tourism records being announced are to a significant extent also linked to short-term rentals,” he said, adding that many visitors might not have chosen Cyprus without this accommodation option.
He stressed that self-catering properties are not closed systems, noting that visitors support local businesses by spending outside their accommodation rather than being confined to hotel premises.
Registry data and legal obligations
According to information by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, a total of 9,012 self-catering accommodations are currently registered in the ministry’s official registry.
In April 2025, the deputy ministry reiterated that under the law regulating the establishment and operation of hotels and tourist accommodation, owners or managers may advertise or rent out self-catering properties only if they are registered and have obtained a registration licence and registry number. This number must be clearly displayed in all advertisements, promotions and related transactions.
Registration is carried out electronically via the Deputy Ministry of Tourism’s website at gov.cy/tourism.
Under the law, operating a self-catering accommodation without a valid registration licence, or after such a licence has been revoked, constitutes a criminal offence. Upon conviction, offenders face a prison sentence of up to one year, a fine of up to €5,000, or both. If the violation continues after conviction, an additional fine of up to €200 per day may be imposed for each day the offence persists.
This article was first published on Politis' paper