In Cyprus, plastics constitute most of the litter in the sea and on the beach, with bottles, straws, plastic bags, food containers and cotton buds the most common items found on the shoreline and in the water. In fact, 80% of the rubbish collected on beaches in Cyprus is plastic and only 16% of all plastic waste in the country is recycled.
The tourism industry provides a perfect platform to help tackle the problem by increasing awareness of the issue and by reducing its own plastic usage.
So, as part of its commitment to protecting nature and the environment, the TUI Care Foundation has teamed up with Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI) to tackle single-use plastics in the coastal regions of Cyprus popular with tourists. It brings tourism businesses, visitors and residents together to reduce the consumption of single-use plastics.
In 2022, the project was also the recipient of a Silver WTM Responsible Tourism Award in the category ‘Reducing Plastic Waste in the Environment’.