“Keep Our Sand and Sea Plastic Free” is a tourism sustainability campaign in Cyprus which aims to reduce plastic pollution on beaches and in the sea. The project focuses on eliminating single-use plastics in popular coastal areas like Ayia Napa, Protaras, and Coral Bay.
Led by the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI), the campaign works with hotels, restaurants, municipalities, and local communities. It promotes plastic-free beaches, installs refill stations, and encourages both locals and tourists to make eco-friendly choices.
Objectives
- Reduce beach plastic pollution: About 80 % of rubbish on Cyprus’s beaches is plastic. The initiative aims for a 70 % reduction in targeted single-use plastic items used by tourism businesses
- Engage tourism actors & locals: Hotels, bars, restaurants, tourists, residents, and students all participate through training, cleanups, and awareness campaigns
- Scale innovative ‘Plastic Free Beaches’: Eight beaches, including Ayia Triada, Coral Bay, and Ammos tou Kambouri, have been transformed into ‘Plastic Free Beaches’ with refill stations, educational art, and no-plastic zones
Flagship Activities
- Plastic Free Beach Concept
- Equip beaches with cold-water refill stations, reusable cups, ashtrays, and clear anti-plastic signage
- Install awareness artwork, such as the turtle sculpture “CALYPSO,” crafted from collected beach plastic
- Training & Toolkits
- Hospitality staff receive training on reducing plastic, adapting supply chains, and meeting upcoming EU bans
- A Plastic Free Beach Toolkit guides hotels and local businesses on procurement, operations, and guest communication
- Community Engagement
- School activities, clean-up events, competitions, educational videos, and animation raise awareness among children and visitors .
- Beachfluencer and “Bring Your Cup” campaigns promote reusable behaviors through social media and local promotions
Measurable Impact
- Plastic straws down by 98%
- Plastic cups cut by 61%
- Plastic bottles reduced by 34%
- Over 1,500 kg of waste collected
- More than 60 businesses and 1,200 people took part in cleanup events
Why It Matters
As Mediterranean beaches are among the most polluted globally, this initiative demonstrates how tourism can lead environmental management. The project supports circular economy principles, aligns with EU single-use plastic regulations, enhances business sustainability, and strengthens Cyprus’s appeal as an eco-conscious destination . by uniting municipalities, businesses, residents, and visitors,
In Summary
“Keep Our Sand and Sea Plastic Free” showcases how concerted, community-driven action can dramatically reduce plastic pollution in tourism hotspots. Through education, reusable alternatives, creative awareness, and measurable goals, Cyprus is setting an inspiring example of how destinations can safeguard their natural treasures and empower every stakeholder—from beachgoer to hoteliers—to create lasting change.