The President of the Cyprus Football Association, Haris Loizides, has been honoured with the “Gaspart Bonet Foundation Award” by HOTREC, the European Confederation of Hotels, Restaurants, and Cafés.
Loizides, who successfully presided over the CFA for two decades, had been nominated for the award by the Cyprus Hotel Association.
The award bears the name of the foundation established by Joan Gaspart, a leading figure in the European hospitality sector and former President of FC Barcelona. The award ceremony took place during HOTREC’s 91st General Assembly in Paphos, held to mark Cyprus’ assumption of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026.
This distinction recognises Loizides’ longstanding and pivotal contribution to the development and stabilisation of Cyprus' tourism industry throughout his presidency of the Cyprus Hotel Association (2003–2023). He led CHA through critical periods, including the 2013 financial crisis, the most severe since the Turkish invasion of 1974, during which the Association emerged as a pillar of resilience and a strategic partner of the state in safeguarding the sector’s stability.
In his address, Loizides expressed his profound gratitude to HOTREC and its President, Alexandros Vassilikos, as well as to the members of the Cyprus Hotel Association and its current President, Thanos Michaelides, emphasising: “This honour belongs to all those who have served the Association with dedication and integrity, for every achievement has been the result of collective effort and shared commitment.”
