Efforts are underway to bring the World Rally Championship (WRC) back to Cyprus, led by Andreas Tsouloftas, President of the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Limassol Tourism Development and Promotion Company.Speaking to “Entrepreneurial Limassol”, Mr Tsouloftas said he has already held discussions with both the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) and relevant government authorities, with the aim of creating the conditions for Cyprus to rejoin the calendar of major international rally events.
As he explained, Cyprus had the opportunity to host a round of the World Rally Championship around two decades ago, an experience that demonstrated the scale of such an event and its significant contribution to both the tourism industry and the wider economy. Following his appointment as President of the Limassol Tourism Development and Promotion Company, Mr Tsouloftas raised the issue at a meeting of the presidents of the Tourism Development and Promotion Companies with the Deputy Minister of Tourism, placing the proposal within the broader framework of developing sports tourism and attracting visitors outside the traditional tourist season.
Prior to that meeting, he said, he had already held discussions with the FIA and received positive indications that, provided there is a clear commitment and support from the Cypriot Government to host the event, the possibility of Cyprus returning to the WRC could be viewed positively. According to Mr Tsouloftas, the proposal received the support of all the presidents of the Tourism Development and Promotion Companies, as the benefits are expected to extend beyond a single city or district.
“This event would benefit all cities, the whole of Cyprus,” he stressed, pointing out that the large influx of teams, support personnel, media representatives and spectators could significantly boost hotel occupancy rates across the island, regardless of where the event’s headquarters are based. According to Mr Tsouloftas, the Deputy Minister of Tourism responded positively to the proposal and said that ways of promoting it through the Cyprus Sports Organisation, the Ministry of Finance and the Government more broadly would be explored.
The President of the LCCI noted that, given the scale and international reach of a World Rally Championship event, it requires special handling at government level and cannot be addressed solely through the usual schemes supporting sporting events. In his view, the economic and tourism benefits of a single WRC event could be several times greater than those generated by smaller-scale international sporting events.
He also argued that the final government contribution could be lower than initially estimated, as part of the costs could potentially be covered by revenues associated with team participation and the event as a whole. Andreas Tsouloftas revealed that he had also attempted to promote the same initiative around one and a half years ago, requesting a meeting with the President of the Republic.
A meeting was eventually held with officials from the Presidential Palace, during which, he said, he presented the value and importance of such an event for Cyprus. That particular effort did not produce a result at the time; however, he believes that conditions are now more favourable. Mr Tsouloftas also places particular importance on his personal relationship with FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, with whom he competed for many years in the Middle East Rally Championship.
As he explained, during the period when he was Cypriot champion and competed in the Middle East for approximately 12 years, Mohammed Ben Sulayem was one of his main competitors.
According to Mr Tsouloftas, this long-standing relationship now provides an important channel of communication with the leadership of the FIA. He described the current situation as a “unique opportunity” for Cyprus, noting that this opportunity may not exist in the future if the leadership of the international federation changes.
Andreas Tsouloftas also outlined a possible timetable which, provided the necessary approvals are secured, could be followed. As he explained, the first step could be to host a European-level rally in 2027, allowing the FIA to reassess Cyprus’s organisational capabilities and infrastructure. If this trial event is successfully completed, the aim could then be for Cyprus to join the World Rally Championship for the three-year period 2028–2030.
“It would be a tremendous success for Cyprus,” he stressed. The President of the LCCI also referred to the case of the Acropolis Rally in Greece, noting that its return to the World Rally Championship was made possible following active government involvement and high-level contacts with the FIA.
He cited this example to underline that political will and clear government support are key factors in securing an event of this scale. The President of the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry expressed hope that, with the support of the Deputy Ministry of Tourism and the ongoing discussions, a positive outcome will be reached before the end of the year.
In such a case, the Cypriot side would then be able to officially inform the FIA of its intention to pursue the return of the major international rally event. For Andreas Tsouloftas, the stakes go beyond the narrow boundaries of motorsport and concern Cyprus’s international visibility, the strengthening of sports and year-round tourism, and the economic activity that an event of such international significance could generate.
