The incident revealed serious gaps in the oversight system, according to Evropakipr . An audit by the Cyprus Audit Office revealed that the Ministry of Tourism had not been informed that local authorities had deemed certain buildings unsafe, which is why such properties were able to remain in the state registry and continue to accommodate guests.
Auditors also discovered thousands of short-term rental listings without registration numbers, properties missing from the official database, and instances of invalid or stolen licenses being used. As of the end of June 2026, 8,478 properties were registered in the Ministry of Tourism’s registry. The audit revealed that a significant portion of the market remains outside government control.
Now the rules will change. The Ministry of Tourism is drafting a law that will tighten the requirements for registering tourist accommodations. Owners will have to confirm that their properties meet the established requirements, and the licensing procedure will become significantly stricter. In addition, the authorities intend to step up inspections of properties before they are included in the registry.
The changes will also affect the booking platforms themselves. Under the new European Union regulations, each short-term rental property will be assigned a unique registration number. Without it, it will be impossible to post a listing on online platforms. Airbnb, Booking.com, and other services will be required to verify the validity of registrations, remove listings with invalid numbers, and provide government agencies with the data required by European legislation.
Cypriot authorities expect that the new measures will not only bring the illegal market out of the shadows but also prevent situations where tourists book accommodations in buildings that are unsafe.
