Preparations are continuing at an intensive pace, in view of the Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 January 2026 to 30 June 2026, a period during which thousands of delegates are expected to come to Cyprus.
In fact, in order for our country to be fully prepared, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism has announced it is inviting the submission of tenders to secure hotel rooms in Nicosia for the accommodation of conference delegates who will participate in events that will be held within the framework of Cyprus' Presidency of the Council of the European Union.
Based on the notice, which was published in the Electronic Procurement System (e-procurement), the estimated value was set at €165,000 excluding VAT for a total of 32,896 overnight stays, the cost of which will be borne by the contracting authority (the Deputy Ministry of Tourism).
The above amount, however, does not include the options included in paragraph 11 of Article 2 of Part B of the tender documents, which are estimated at €30,000 excluding VAT.
So, the total estimated value of the contract amounts to €195,000, not including VAT.
It is noted that offers will be accepted until 3 September 2025 (3/9/2025) at 11am.
The tender competition
According to the tender documents, the selected contractor will have to reserve a specific number of rooms for each conference and for the specific period to be determined.
As for the cost of the rooms that will be reserved, this will be borne either by the contracting authority (in this case by the Deputy Ministry of Tourism) or by the conference participants, as follows:
- The contracting authority will only cover the cost of 'Single Use' accommodation with breakfast for the number of rooms to be reserved and only for the nights that will be determined based on the contract to be signed.
It is noted that, in cases where the contractor was also assigned rooms for two people (Double Use) in relation to a conference, then the contracting authority will assume, with code HL 21, the cost of Double Use accommodation with breakfast for the number of rooms to be agreed on and only for the nights to be agreed on.
For all other rooms, the contracting authority will only cover the cost of 'Single Use' accommodation with breakfast for the number of rooms to be agreed on.
- The participants will bear all costs not covered by the contracting authority, such as for example the costs of:
1. For the overnight stay on the last day.
2. The cost of the extra charge for 'Double Use' of their room, due to overnight stays and their companions (if applicable), meals other than breakfast, laundry services, use of the minibar and other expenses during their stay at the hotel.
Furthermore, for the overnight stays of conference participants whose costs will not be covered by the contracting authority, the documents explicitly clarify that the conference participants in question will have complete freedom in the right to choose a hotel for their accommodation.
That is, they will be able to either choose from a list of hotels, which will be proposed to them by the contracting authority, or choose any other hotel of their personal preference.
It is noted that the contractor's hotel, in this case, will not be the only available option, which aims to ensure transparency, free competition and the maintenance of reasonable and competitive accommodation prices.
Cost for conference participants
In addition to the above, the competition documents clarify that when booking overnight stays, the cost of which is borne by the conference participants, the following will apply:
- When booking the rooms, there will be a prepayment (guarantee) from the conference participant for the first night of their stay.
- In case of cancellation or change of arrival date, five days or less before the scheduled arrival, the deposit amount (i.e. the prepaid amount) is not refunded. It is clarified that the deposit amount is refunded to the delegate in the event that the cancellation of the reservation is due to the cancellation of the conference due to force majeure.
It is also noted that in the event that, after booking overnight stays, the cost of which is borne by the contracting authority, the conference is canceled for any reason, the reservation will also be canceled and no amount will be paid as remuneration or compensation to the contractor.
Price commitment
It is also worth mentioning that in the event that the contractor wishes to make additional rooms available for the conferences assigned to him, within the framework of a separate tender, which will be announced by the contracting authority for the accommodation of the remaining conference participants, who will bear their own accommodation costs, then in the event that the contractor offers the said additional rooms at a price lower than that offered for the rooms within the framework of the contract to be signed and awarded a relevant contract within the framework of the separate tender, then the lower prices will automatically apply to the said contract.
At the same time, it will be the contractor's obligation, during the dates on which it will host the delegates based on a contract to be signed, that its hotel rooms will not be made available, by the contractor or by any third party provider, at prices lower than the prices in its offer for the specific dates.
Also, the hotel's prices, on the specific dates, in the contractor's publications, in printed form or on the internet or on the hotel's website or anywhere else, should not be lower than the prices in its offer.
Furthermore, the contractor will be obliged to take all necessary actions with third parties with whom it collaborates and through whom hotel room reservations are made, such as, for example, tour operators or online Travel Agents (e.g. Booking.com ) and may not offer or advertise anywhere the hotel rooms, on specific dates, at prices lower than the prices in its offer.
Other requirements
The contractor will also have the following obligations:
- To place in a prominent place in the hotel lobby an information sign with the conference programme and the departure times from the hotel for the meeting.
- Provide free wireless internet connection in the hotel lobby, as well as in other public areas of the hotel.
- Provide all necessary facilities for any registration/information office for delegates in the hotel lobby.
- Satisfy throughout the duration of the contract all requirements that will be agreed upon and included in the contract
- Submit a completion report, by 15 July 2026 (15/07/2026) - i.e. after the end of the contract implementation period, which should include a record of all activities implemented and services provided (in detail and aggregated) and any proposals for future needs of the contracting authority related to the subject matter of the contract that was implemented.
Contract duration
The start date of the execution of the subject matter of the contract to be signed will be the date of its signing and the duration of execution is until 30 June 2026 (30/6/2026) plus the period until 15 July 2026 (15/7/2026) for the submission of the completion report.
It is noted that the implementation times of the individual services will be determined upon signing the contract.
What happens to hotels that do not have an operating license?
Based on the tender documents, in the event that a hotel operating license was not issued for the hotel based on the 'Regulation of the Establishment and Operation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations Law of 2019 to 2025', the contractor must submit to the Deputy Ministry of Tourism the required documents referred to in subsections (2) (a) to (j) of article 18 of the 'Regulation of the Establishment and Operation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations Law 2019-2025', in order to ensure, by 29 September 2025 (29/9/2025), a certificate from the Deputy Ministry of Tourism that the contractor satisfies the provisions of Article 18 of the 'Regulation of the Establishment and Operation of Hotels and Tourist Accommodations Law of 2019 to 2025' for the hotel to operate until 31 August 2026 (31/8/2026).
In case the above certificate is not obtained by 29 September 2025 (29/9/2025), the contracting authority may terminate the contract.
(Source: InBusinessNews)
