For the first time mandatory sustainability standards for hotel establishments have been approved by the Cyprus Tourism Organisation.
According to an announcement, issued by CTO, this means that every hotel operating in Cyprus must now take action to protect the environment and support their local community.
The new minimum standards are part of a wider program of reforms from the CTO, the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI) and the Travel Foundation. Because of the scheme, hotels in Cyprus will now be required to demonstrate sustainable business practices that will ultimately lead to cost savings and a more authentic Cypriot offering for their guests.
The standards cover a range of criteria including reducing energy, water and chemical use, and the amount of waste generated, training staff and having a "green team" responsible for sustainability issues, sourcing local goods and services where possible, promoting authentic Cypriot food and entertainment and supporting local charities and community initiatives.
The CTO`s inspectors will check compliance as part of their general assessment of quality standards. As hotels sustainability performance improves over time, the standards will be reviewed and revised in order to move the Cypriot hotel sector towards best practice in the long term.