Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative

12/06/2026

🌍✨ "Caring for Our Earth" — a celebration of learning, creativity, and taking action for our planet.

It was a pleasure to attend the end-of-school-year celebration at Α' Δημοτικό Αγίου Αθανασίου and witness the inspiring journey of students who became true ambassadors for a plastic-free future through the Schools for Change: Leading the Plastic-Free Movement project.

Throughout the school year, students participated in hands-on activities that transformed knowledge into action. They explored the impacts of plastic pollution through environmental education sessions, took part in a beach clean-up, carried out a school waste audit to identify practical solutions for reducing waste, embraced reusable alternatives with the installation of a free filtered water refill station and reusable bottles, and created a meaningful artwork from collected plastic waste—proudly showcased during their final celebration.

Every action, every conversation, and every creative idea demonstrated that young people have the power to lead positive environmental change.

The “Schools for Change – Agios Athanasios: Leading the Plastic-Free Movement” is part of the Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free, Destination Zero Waste in Cyprus and Greece project, an initiative by TUI Care Foundation and CSTI, funded by Island Oil Holdings and supported by the Cyprus Environment Foundation.

Together, we continue empowering the next generation to protect our beaches, our seas, and our future. 💙🌊

11/06/2026

Beachfluencer Series – Lady's Mile Beach ✨🌊

Meet Antje Papageorgiou, an inspiring Board Member of CSTI and founder of the Beachfluencer Initiative! By "adopting" the beautiful Lady's Mile Beach in Limassol, she regularly dedicates her time to protecting our coastline.

From plastic straws and cups to cigarette butts and other litter, Antje's beach clean-ups are helping to make a real difference.

But her impact goes beyond collecting waste—she inspires visitors, tourists, and local businesses to take action and help prevent plastic pollution from reaching our seas.

Her passion is contagious, and her efforts have encouraged others to get involved and care for the beach. One person truly can make a difference! 🙌

🏖️ Would you like to adopt a beach and become a Beachfluencer?
📩 Get started here: https://bit.ly/3S2KLu4

📸 Send us your photos, and you could be featured in our Beachfluencer Series!

Follow and join a growing community of nature lovers and changemakers dedicated to protecting our environment. Together, we can help create cleaner beaches and healthier oceans. 💙🐚

This initiative is part of the Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free, Destination Zero Waste in Cyprus and Greece project by Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative and TUI Care Foundation.

10/06/2026

Join us on Sunday, 14 June, at Poseidonia Beach Hotel! 🌿🌊

Let's come together to celebrate World Oceans Day and turn "Our Beach, Our Promise" into action.

Spend your Sunday doing something meaningful for the sea, nature, and our community. Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy a day filled with environmental activities and fun for all ages!

Programme of Activities

🕣 8:30 AM – Beach Clean-up with City Friends Club

🧘 10:30 AM – Beach Yoga with Derek Yoga

🎨 10:30 AM – Children's Activities:
• Hand painting
• Colouring corner
• Photobooth
• Upcycling workshop

📚 10:30 AM – Educational Activities:
• Learn about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a Trivia Wheel with Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative
• Plant your own seeds with Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free, Destination Zero Waste in Cyprus and Greece
• Discover microplastics and ocean litter with Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free, Destination Zero Waste in Cyprus and Greece
• Learn about Posidonia oceanica with Marine and Environmental Research - MER Lab

🎶 11:30 AM – Live Cuban Music with Marjorie & Konstantinos

♻️ Upcycling Market
Shop sustainably with five carefully selected vendors offering unique upcycled products.

Join us in making a positive impact—because protecting our oceans starts with all of us. 💙🌍

09/06/2026

📊🌿 What Gets Measured, Gets Improved!

How do you know if a cultural event is truly sustainable?

Sustainability goes beyond reducing waste—it’s also about supporting communities, celebrating heritage, fostering inclusion, and creating lasting local value. That's why Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) matter.

From engaging local artists and suppliers to measuring cultural authenticity, accessibility, and community involvement, KPIs help turn good intentions into measurable impact.

💡 A sustainable cultural event isn't just successful on the day—it leaves a positive legacy for people, place, and culture.

🤝 This work is being developed through the collaboration of our CultMedEU project partners across Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal.

👉 Which sustainability indicator do you think is most important for cultural events? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

How do you measure sustainability in cultural events?

Sustainability is not only about reducing environmental impact. In cultural events, it also means protecting heritage, engaging communities and supporting local economies.

This is where Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) become essential. They help organisers move from intention to measurable impact.

In the context of cultural events, relevant KPIs may include:
• % of local artists and cultural practitioners involved
• visitor satisfaction with cultural authenticity
• number of community partners engaged
• % of budget spent on local suppliers
• accessibility and inclusion measures implemented

By tracking these indicators, organisers can better understand how their events contribute not only to sustainability, but also to cultural value and community wellbeing.

Because a sustainable cultural event is not just well-organised,
it creates meaningful impact where it matters most, to people, place and culture.

08/06/2026

Love our ocean? Join the Movement and become a ! 🌊💙

Meet Antje Papageorgiou, an inspiring board member of CSTI and founder of the Beachfluencer Initiative. For the past 3 years, she has "adopted" the beautiful Lady's Mile Beach in Limassol, dedicating time every day to keeping its coastline clean.

Armed with nothing more than a litter net and determination, Antje carries out individual beach clean-ups, collecting everything from plastic straws and cups to cigarette butts and other litter.

Her commitment has sparked something incredible: locals, tourists, and regular beach visitors of all ages have been inspired to follow her example, with many embracing this simple yet powerful way of giving back to nature.

Because caring for our beaches is contagious — and together, small actions create big waves of change. 🌊

Follow and become part of a community of nature lovers who are passionate about protecting our environment. Connect with like-minded volunteers and join a growing network of changemakers.

✨ Stay tuned for more "Beachfluencer" episodes, where we'll continue sharing inspiring stories of everyday changemakers making a real difference for our coastlines!

This initiative is part of the Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free, Destination Zero Waste in Cyprus and Greece project by TUI Care Foundation and the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative.

05/06/2026

🌍 World Environment Day – Young Changemakers in Action 💙

This World Environment Day, we celebrate the power of young people to create positive change for our planet. As the saying goes, "teach them young"—because today's students are tomorrow's environmental leaders.

Through the Plastic Free Schools initiative, hundreds of students from schools across Cyprus have learned about the impacts of plastic pollution and taken action to help restore and protect our coastlines.

From raising awareness to participating in beach clean-ups, these young changemakers have shown that every effort counts. By working together, they have demonstrated how small actions can create meaningful environmental impact and help safeguard our oceans for future generations.

The “Schools for Change – Agios Athanasios: Leading the Plastic-Free Movement” is part of the Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free, Destination Zero Waste in Cyprus and Greece project, an initiative by TUI Care Foundation and CSTI, funded by Island Oil Holdings and supported by the Cyprus Environment Foundation.

Together, we are shaping a future with less plastic, greater awareness, and stronger community action 💙

04/06/2026

🌊💙 Making Waves for World Oceans Day

Join local hotel teams and communities for a series of beach clean-ups taking place in celebration of World Oceans Day.

📅 Monday, 08 June 2026

📍 Locations & Times

🏖️ Protaras – Pernera Beach Hotel, 10:00 AM
With the support of Δήμος Παραλιμνίου - Δερύνειας Paralimni - Deryneia Municipality and Famagusta Hotel Association

🏖️ Paphos – Leonardo Plaza Cypria Maris Beach Hotel & Spa & Leonardo Cypria Bay, 9:30 AM

🏖️ Limassol – Location and time to be announced soon

Together, we're helping keep Cyprus's beaches clean, beautiful, and welcoming for everyone to enjoy. 💙

Residents and visitors are welcome to participate.

♻️ This initiative is part of the Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free, Destination Zero Waste in Cyprus and Greece project by TUI Care Foundation and the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative.

03/06/2026

🌱🌍 Sustainable tourism is key to building a greener future for Europe.

Through CULTMED, partners across the Mediterranean are helping promote cultural tourism that respects heritage, supports local communities, and contributes to a more sustainable future. 💚

👇 Learn more in the original post below.

Implemented in collaboration with:
Aspon Consulting Ltd I ReadLab I Αναπτυξιακή Ηρακλείου I
Arces Collegio Universitario I Gestión Estratégica e Innovación I
E&D Knowledge Consulting

The European Green Deal is the European Union’s strategy to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.

It promotes a transition towards a greener and more sustainable economy by supporting initiatives that reduce emissions, protect ecosystems and encourage responsible use of resources.

Tourism also plays an important role in this transition. By adopting sustainable practices, tourism destinations can help reduce environmental impacts while protecting cultural heritage and supporting local communities.

Projects like CULTMED contribute to these goals by promoting sustainable cultural tourism practices across the Mediterranean.

02/06/2026

🌍💙 World Environment Day Beach Clean-Ups Across Cyprus

Residents and visitors are invited to join local hotel teams and communities in a series of beach clean-ups taking place across Cyprus on World Environment Day.

📍 Locations & Times

🏖️ Limassol – Atlantica Miramare Beach Hotel, 10:30 AM

🏖️ Paphos – Amavi, MadeForTwo Hotels - Paphos Beach Hotel & Alexander the Great Beach Hotel, 3:00 PM

🏖️ Larnaca – Lordos Beach Hotel and Spa & Golden Bay Beach Hotel, 9:00 AM

🏖️ Ayia Napa – Nissi Beach Resort • Nissi Beach • Cyprus, 10:00 AM

🏖️ Ayia Napa – Alion Beach Hotel • Ayia Napa • Cyprus, 11:00 AM

If you're spending World Environment Day in Cyprus, we'd love to see you there.

Together with our hospitality partners, we're helping keep Cyprus's beaches clean and welcoming for everyone to enjoy. 🌊♻️

29/05/2026

🌍 How can Mediterranean tourism SMEs become more resilient in times of crisis?

This was the focus of our recent stakeholder focus group held in Cyprus as part of the ReTour – Building Resilient SMEs in the Tourism Industry project, an Interreg NEXT MED Programme initiative.

Hosted at University of Nicosia in collaboration with University of Nicosia Research Foundation and Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative, the discussion brought together tourism stakeholders to explore the challenges SMEs face across the Mediterranean region — from pandemics and climate-related crises to economic and geopolitical instability.

💡 Through ReTour, SMEs will gain support to adopt innovative solutions such as AI, blockchain, smart sensors, and sustainable business practices that strengthen resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability.

The project connects partners from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, and Türkiye with the shared goal of supporting more than 150 tourism businesses in their green and digital transition journeys.

👏 A big thank you to all participants for sharing valuable insights and experiences that will help shape practical solutions for a more resilient and sustainable tourism sector.

🤝 Together, we are building a stronger future for Mediterranean tourism.