Paphos, the mythical birthplace of the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, is a coastal region located in southwest Cyprus. Its subtropical-Mediterranean climate, unique history and high quality natural environment make it one of the most attractive parts of the island to be explored. Next to its ancient ruins, monuments and archeological sites, this region provides a great array of activities such as bird watching, climbing, walking trails, adventure sports, festivals, wine tours and guided excursions to rural areas and traditional villages.
Paphos has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage. Besides its rich culture, Paphos has more than 20% of the Blue flag beaches in Cyprus. Also, the sandy beaches of the Akamas peninsula are the breeding place of Green and Loggerhead turtles whose numbers considerably increased over the last years partly due to the Sea Turtle Conservation project. Tourism businesses in Paphos also actively demonstrate their concern about sustainability issues. As a result of this, most of the hotels and restaurants received quality certifications such as HACCP, ISO 9001 and ISO 14000.
Paphos has become more than a sun and beach holiday destination. The implementation of a sustainable tourism strategy has contributed to diversify tourism offers and reduced the effects of seasonality in a substantial manner.