On the first day of Elafonisos Eco Week, under the overarching theme of “Waste and Water Management,” Philippos Drousiotis, Chairman of the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI), shared compelling lessons from Cyprus on the fight against single-use plastics and marine pollution. Drawing on more than 20 years of experience in sustainable tourism, Drousiotis made a strong case for environmental action as both an ecological necessity and a business opportunity.
He began by underscoring that sustainability is good for business, especially in the hospitality sector, where resource efficiency and waste reduction translate into real savings. Citing successful examples from Cyprus, he described how hotels replaced thousands of plastic bottles with refillable water stations, resulting in financial benefits and a significant reduction in plastic waste.
One of the flagship initiatives he presented was CSTI’s “Keep Our Sand and Sea Plastic-Free” project, supported by the TUI Care Foundation. This award-winning campaign has already mobilized over 300 businesses and educated more than 5,000 students across Cyprus, promoting long-term behavioral change and community engagement.
Philippos Drousiotis emphasized that prevention is more effective than recycling, urging the tourism and education sectors to eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging and adopt reusable alternatives in hotels, restaurants, and schools. He proposed innovative and engaging ideas such as Plastic-Free Beaches, Plastic-Free Schools, and Beachfluencers-local ambassadors who lead by example and promote clean beach practices through social media and community involvement.
He also pointed to the transboundary nature of marine pollution in the Mediterranean and stressed the urgent need for stronger regional cooperation, stricter enforcement of regulations, and the replication of proven initiatives like those in Cyprus throughout the Mediterranean basin.
Closing his remarks, Philippos Drousiotis delivered a powerful call to action: small islands like Elafonisos can lead by example, branding themselves as plastic-free destinations. This shift, he argued, could become a powerful marketing tool for attracting the growing segment of eco-conscious travelers and positioning Elafonisos at the forefront of Mediterranean sustainability.