Consumer Protection Service Investigates Travel Agency
The Consumer Protection Service (CPS) has officially identified EFI Strakottou Travel & Tours Limited as the travel agency under investigation following a week of speculation and an increasing number of consumer complaints. The CPS, which is responsible for enforcing the Law on Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements of 2017, stated that the company is deemed insolvent and may be unable to meet its contractual obligations.
An organiser is considered insolvent if, for any reason, they are unable to carry out all or part of the travel services they committed to under a package travel contract with a traveller. This determination has prompted the CPS to urge affected travellers who entered into package travel agreements with the agency to take immediate action.
Steps for Affected Travellers
Travellers who either did not receive, or are not expected to receive, the services they paid for are advised to submit a request to the Association of Cyprus Travel & Tourism Agents (ACTTA) by October 24, 2025. Requests must be submitted with all relevant documentation through the designated online form, which is available on ACTTA’s website.
For those seeking further clarification or information, ACTTA can be contacted by telephone at 22666435. In addition, the CPS has called on travellers not to make any new payments to EFI Strakottou Travel & Tours Limited.
Background of the Investigation
Earlier this week, the CPS confirmed that it was investigating complaints from consumers against a travel agency that had allegedly failed to meet its obligations. Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency (CNA), CPS director Constantinos Karagiorgis explained that the complaints concerned organised trips where customers struggled to obtain refunds for services they had paid for but never received.
“The case of the travel agency regarding organised trips, which appears unable to fulfill its obligations, is being examined by the service in accordance with the relevant provisions of the legislation,” Karagiorgis said. He added that all available data was being reviewed, including “the cost this issue imposes on consumers, who seem to be left exposed, as well as the matter of the guarantees.”
Karagiorgis explained that the CPS was working closely with ACTTA to activate the mechanism that protects consumers in cases of insolvency.
Guidance from the Cyprus Consumers Association
Meanwhile, the Cyprus Consumers Association issued guidance following what it described as a surge in complaints, though it did not name the agency at the time. The association reminded consumers that under Cypriot law, travel organisers must provide a guarantee covering the full amount paid by customers for services they cannot deliver.
“The competent authority for depositing and monitoring the organiser’s guarantee is the Consumer Protection Service and the approved body designated by the Minister of Energy, Commerce and Industry, which is the Association of Cyprus Travel & Tourism Agents,” the association said. It added that if a travel organiser cannot meet its obligations, “the organiser’s guarantee is activated and available without undue delay following a request from the traveller,” with the amount distributed to clients who did not receive the services they paid for.
The association also emphasised that not all travel agencies are classified as organisers, noting that the complaints concern organised trips to various destinations. It reported that 147 complaints had been submitted to the Cyprus Consumers Association up to that point.
