By Adonis Yiangou*
On a recent family trip to Greece, one difference from Cyprus was hard to miss. Dogs alongside their people in hotels and other accommodation, in cafés, restaurants and leisure spaces. Not as a necessary evil, but as something entirely normal. A pet travelling together with the family it belongs to. And somewhere in that, you inevitably start to wonder: why does Cyprus still behave as though it's stuck in another era?
Social attitudes towards companion animals have changed dramatically. Especially for younger generations, Millennials and Gen Z, a dog or a cat is no longer an animal kept in the yard. It's a member of the family. It lives inside the home, takes part in everyday life, and, increasingly, joins the family on holiday. This isn't some fringe trend. It's an international reality that the tourism industries of many countries have already grasped. Hotels advertise pet-friendly rooms, accommodation providers offer water bowls and special services, and restaurants and cafés welcome people together with their animals, at least in appropriate areas.
This isn't just about love of animals, it's also about the tourism economy. Today's traveller, who considers their dog a member of the family, isn't looking for someone to dump it with while on holiday. They're looking for a destination where they can bring it along. And when a place essentially tells them, you're welcome, but your animal isn't, they simply choose somewhere else.
And then there's Cyprus. A place that wants to present itself as a modern, European, quality tourist destination, but where a visitor with a pet is often left on an endless search. Which places to stay accept dogs? Which restaurants can they go to with them? Which beaches are actually accessible? Which public spaces are animal-friendly?
The options exist, but they remain limited and scattered. The paradox is that, at the very same time, we're spending millions to advertise Cyprus abroad, and constantly discussing upgrading the tourism product, developing niche forms of tourism, and attracting higher-spending visitors.
So shouldn't someone at the Deputy Ministry of Tourism be looking a little further into the future? Pet-friendly tourism doesn't mean every dog should be free to roam everywhere without rules. Nor does it mean ignoring hygiene, safety, or people who are afraid of animals or simply don't want them around. It means clear rules, designated spaces, and responsible owners. It means creating options, instead of imposing a blanket exclusion. And there's a deeper dimension to this too.
The way a society treats animals in public space reveals a great deal about its relationship with them. In Cyprus, we still carry the notion that a dog belongs somewhere "outside": in the yard, in the field, in a cage. It's no coincidence that, at the same time, we're dealing with abandonment, uncontrolled breeding, overcrowded shelters and thousands of strays.
But there's something else the authorities perhaps need to grasp too: pet-friendly tourism could become a competitive advantage for Cyprus. With certified pet-friendly hotels and accommodation, more suitable dining spaces, organised beaches and dog parks, and an official digital guide for travellers with animals, Cyprus could position itself, in an organised way, within a growing international market.
And perhaps most importantly, this change doesn't require billions, huge infrastructure projects, or decades of planning. What it mainly requires is a change in mindset, clear rules, and political will. So the question for the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, local authorities and the tourism industry is simple: do we actually want to be a modern European tourist destination, or do we just want to advertise ourselves as one? Because families in 2026 have changed. Many of them now have four legs, a tail and a lead. And when Cyprus leaves them outside the door, it leaves their people outside it too.
*Member of the Ecologists Movement (Kinima Oikologon)
