The Cyprus Tourist Guides Association (CTGA) has sounded the alarm over the growing number of unlicensed individuals offering paid tours across the island. In a statement issued on February 21 2026, the union said the practice is eroding professional standards, damaging Cyprus’ international reputation and jeopardising visitor safety.
![Cyprus Tourist Guides Demand Crack-Down on Illegal Tours and Creation of Tourist Police]()
While the current debate focuses on guiding standards, travellers and businesses should also remember that entry requirements are just as crucial. VisaHQ’s Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) streamlines visa checks, electronic authorisations and passport services, ensuring that conference delegates, incentive groups and independent tourists arrive fully compliant before they ever meet a guide. By handling the paperwork early, companies can devote their attention to selecting licensed professionals on the ground.
According to CTGA president Maria Avraam, dozens of informal guides—often drivers, Airbnb hosts or social-media “influencers”—advertise excursions without any training or insurance. Because they do not register with the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, they bypass background checks, first-aid certification and taxation, undercutting licensed guides by up to 40 per cent. The association is therefore urging the government to 1) step-up roadside and site inspections; 2) impose on-the-spot fines for unlicensed guiding; and 3) establish a dedicated Tourist Police branch within the existing Police Tourism Unit. CTGA argues that similar enforcement bodies in Greece, Spain and Malta have successfully protected cultural sites and consumer rights. For businesses that regularly bring corporate travellers to Cyprus—conference organisers, destination-management companies and relocation firms—the proposal carries practical implications. Clients who unknowingly hire an unlicensed guide could face liability if an accident occurs, and negative press can quickly snowball. Companies are advised to update their preferred-supplier lists and insist on guides who display the official blue badge issued by the Deputy Ministry. Industry observers note that tighter enforcement would dovetail with Cyprus’ ongoing drive to raise service quality ahead of its anticipated Schengen-area accession in 2026. Professional guiding is part of the wider visitor-experience value chain that multinational firms evaluate when choosing regional hubs. If adopted, the Tourist Police concept could become a showcase for Cyprus’ commitment to safe, high-value tourism.
While the current debate focuses on guiding standards, travellers and businesses should also remember that entry requirements are just as crucial. VisaHQ’s Cyprus portal (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) streamlines visa checks, electronic authorisations and passport services, ensuring that conference delegates, incentive groups and independent tourists arrive fully compliant before they ever meet a guide. By handling the paperwork early, companies can devote their attention to selecting licensed professionals on the ground.
According to CTGA president Maria Avraam, dozens of informal guides—often drivers, Airbnb hosts or social-media “influencers”—advertise excursions without any training or insurance. Because they do not register with the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, they bypass background checks, first-aid certification and taxation, undercutting licensed guides by up to 40 per cent. The association is therefore urging the government to 1) step-up roadside and site inspections; 2) impose on-the-spot fines for unlicensed guiding; and 3) establish a dedicated Tourist Police branch within the existing Police Tourism Unit. CTGA argues that similar enforcement bodies in Greece, Spain and Malta have successfully protected cultural sites and consumer rights. For businesses that regularly bring corporate travellers to Cyprus—conference organisers, destination-management companies and relocation firms—the proposal carries practical implications. Clients who unknowingly hire an unlicensed guide could face liability if an accident occurs, and negative press can quickly snowball. Companies are advised to update their preferred-supplier lists and insist on guides who display the official blue badge issued by the Deputy Ministry. Industry observers note that tighter enforcement would dovetail with Cyprus’ ongoing drive to raise service quality ahead of its anticipated Schengen-area accession in 2026. Professional guiding is part of the wider visitor-experience value chain that multinational firms evaluate when choosing regional hubs. If adopted, the Tourist Police concept could become a showcase for Cyprus’ commitment to safe, high-value tourism.
