The Travel Foundation has entered into a five-year partnership with the Cyprus Tourism Organisation and the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative to help deliver real economic benefits to local people, conserve the natural environment, and promote local culture and heritage. This innovative sustainable tourism partnership is the first of its kind involving a significant, long-term commitment from the three organisations.

Planned projects include the development of minimum sustainability standards for hotels to reduce water and energy use on the island, helping to relieve severe water shortages and reduce carbon emissions. The partnership will also create initiatives to stimulate rural enterprise and to reduce the amount of solid waste from tourism businesses that goes into landfill.

A campaign to reduce plastic waste and help keep Pafos green has recently been launched by UK tour operators in collaboration with sustainable tourism charity, the Travel Foundation and the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative. This summer, self-caterers enjoying Cyprus holidays will be given reusable cloth bags to use instead of plastic bags. Local hotels will also receive advice and guidance on how to minimise plastic waste. The organisations hope to help protect the environment by reducing the amount of plastic used in the resort. Hotel staff and guests will also receive advice on how to reduce plastic waste.