Launched officially on 16 September 2023, Armonia Beach in Agios Tychonas (Limassol) became the fifth Plastic Free Beach in Cyprus as part of the “Keep Our Sand and Sea Plastic Free” initiative run by the TUI Care Foundation and the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI).
Why It Matters
- Around 80% of beach litter in Cyprus is plastic, predominantly single-use.
- Summer tourism spikes waste generation by up to 40%, creating critical pressure on waste management systems.
The Plastic Free Beach concept equips sites so visitors and businesses can easily avoid single-use plastics and make eco-conscious choices.
Key Features at Armonia Beach
Certified with €11,470 funding, the beach includes mandatory infrastructure and awareness tools:
- Refillable Water Station: Provides free cold, filtered water to replace disposable bottles, tracked by a usage meter.
- Smoking Zone: A designated shaded area with an upcycled bench (using 34 kg plastic) and ashtrays (13 kg plastic) to reduce cigarette litter.
- Upcycled Art Installation: Created by high school students from 300 collected plastic caps, raising awareness.
- Informative Signage & Mascot “Aris”: Visual tools and a beach mascot that educate visitors on avoiding single-use plastics.
Community Collaboration
The project thrives on local stakeholder involvement:
- Training and action planning include participation from municipality officials, hotel and restaurant owners, and cafés. Businesses receive guidance to minimize plastic use on-site.
- The initiative is backed by major partners: Andrey & Julia Dashin Foundation, Deputy Ministry of Tourism, Environmental Commissioner’s Office, CSTI, and Agios Tychonas Community Council.
Social & Environmental Impact
- Launch Event Highlights: Included music, clean-up contests, and branded reusable bottles. Over 2,500 people received free bottles; participants collected cigarette butts to exchange for prizes.
- Ongoing Awareness: The next phase spans live links, social media campaigns, youth education workshops (359 students trained), and public messaging billboards with ~35,000 daily impressions.
Why It Works
Armonia Beach showcases how tourism destinations can:
- Reduce single-use plastic consumption
- Educate visitors through creative engagement tools and local artworks
- Encourage community-behavior change via participatory design and business training
- Model replicable infrastructure for other coastal areas across Cyprus
In Summary
Armonia Beach in Agios Tychonas stands as a proud example of sustainable tourism in action. By combining infrastructure like water refill stations and designated smoking zones with public education and stakeholder training, this Toe‑in‑the‑sand initiative fosters low‑plastic beach culture—preserving Cyprus’s coastline and inspiring broader transformation.
You can read more here.