European conference on sustainable tourism – Celebrating 20 years of CSTI leadership in sustainability (2006-2026)

The European Conference on Sustainable Tourism, held in Nicosia, marked the 20th anniversary of the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI), bringing together more than 300 participants from across Europe and beyond, including two European Commissioners among the speakers.

Held under the auspices of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2026, the conference served both as a celebration of CSTI’s two decades of work and as a call for stronger action to accelerate sustainability in tourism.

Opening Addresses

Welcome addresses were delivered by:

• Philippos Drousiotis, Executive Chairman, CSTI
• Kostas Koumis, Cyprus Deputy Minister of Tourism
• Anna Karamanli, Greece Deputy Minister of Tourism

Special video messages were delivered by:

• Albert II, Prince of Monaco
• Dilyor Khakimov, Director of Institutional Relations, Partnerships and Advocacy at UN Tourism

Key Presentations

Among the keynote speakers were:

• Jeremy Sampson, CEO of The Travel Foundation, co-author of the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism and founding member of the Future of Tourism Coalition, presenting “Where Next: The Imperative and Opportunity to Transform the Tourism System for Good.”
• Christina Anagnostopoulou, Professor of Climatology at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, presenting “Turning Climate Data into Decisions: Enhancing Mediterranean Tourism Resilience with Seasonal Forecasts.”
• Boris Erg, Director of the IUCN European Regional Office, presenting “Global Impact and Vision”
• Helen Caron, Member of the Board of Trustees of the TUI Care Foundation, presenting “Keep Our Sand and Sea Plastic Free – Destination Zero Waste Cyprus and Greece Project.”
• Enrico Toja, President of the Eco-Sustainable Development Association of Elafonisos, Greece, presenting “Impact of Lionfish on Sustainable Tourism.”

European Commissioners’ Contributions

The conference also featured presentations by two European Commissioners:

• Apostolos Tzitzikostas, presenting “Sustainable Transport and Tourism in Europe.”
• Costas Kadis, presenting “The European Ocean Pact: Building Synergies for Sustainable Tourism in the EU.”

Panel Discussions

Two panel discussions explored sustainability from both local and international perspectives.

Driving Sustainable Tourism at the Local Level: Public–Private Perspectives & Practical Solutions

Panelists included:

• Andreas Vyras, Mayor of Larnaka and President of the Union of Cyprus Municipalities
• Sanja Saler, Director of Sustainability, Risk and Compliance IDPO, Wavemaker Hospitality
• Farah Shammas, Managing Director, St Raphael Resort & Marina
• Charis Papacharalambous, President of the Association of Cyprus Travel and Tourism Agents
• George Paschalis, CFO, Hermes Airports
• Scott Lawson, Senior ESG Manager, easyJet holidays

Building Tourism Resilience Through Local, Mediterranean, European and Global Synergies

Panelists included:

• Kostas Koumis, Deputy Minister of Tourism
• Antonia Theodosiou Commissioner for the Environment and Animal Welfare
• Matt Callaghan, Chief Operating Officer, easyJet holidays and Board Member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council
• Nina Boys, Vice President of Sustainability and Beyond Green at Preferred Travel Group
• Boris Erg, Director of the IUCN European Regional Office

A video presentation highlighting CSTI’s work and projects over the past 20 years was also shown during the conference.

From Initiatives to Systemic Change

Participants from European institutions, governments, municipalities, academia, civil society, and the tourism industry discussed how the sector must move from isolated sustainability initiatives toward systemic change.

Key priorities identified included:

• Strengthening public–private partnerships
• Advancing circular economy practices
• Reducing waste and plastic pollution
• Protecting biodiversity
• Ensuring local communities benefit from tourism development

The conference itself was organised as a zero-waste event, demonstrating CSTI’s commitment to the practical implementation of sustainable practices.

Looking Ahead

Since its founding in 2006, the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative has worked to bring together public and private stakeholders to promote responsible tourism in Cyprus. As the organisation enters its third decade, it reaffirmed its commitment to supporting measurable progress toward a more resilient and sustainable tourism sector by 2030.

▶️ The full conference recording is available here:
https://www.youtube.com/live/jt0zrc_8YzM