Hoteliers push for greener tourism industry

HOTELIERS yesterday called on the government to encourage all those in the tourism industry to adopt more energy-saving programmes.

The call was made on the eve of World Tourism Day today, the theme of which is tourism and climate change.

The Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises (STEK) said yesterday the implementation of environmental standards in tourism would contribute directly to environmental protection and in reducing energy costs.

It would also promote more quality tourism, attracting people who are more sensitive to environmental protection.

“Effective and efficient handling of existing gaps and multiple environmental problems that have arisen from so many years of neglect will be achieved only with the immediate introduction of strict laws and regulations for compliance with EU environmental law and policy,” said a statement from STEK.

It said the government should encourage tourism and other businesses to participate in new energy-saving programmes and urge them to use renewable energy by offering incentives.

“Let us no longer ignore the undisputed fact that tourism and environment for Cyprus are fully interlinked and critical to ensure smooth economic growth and prosperity,” it added.

Hotels Association (PASYXE) chairman Haris Loizides, in his message for World Tourism Day, said Cyprus this year had felt the impact of climate change first hand with the imposition of water cuts, which had not left the hotel industry unaffected.

“The drought threatened, and still threatens to leave both residents and hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors thirsty, and puts at risk of further deterioration our position as a tourist destination,” he said.

He said PASYXE agreed with the UN World Tourism Organisation that policies should quickly be adopted that promote sustainable tourism, which would reflect the industry’s respect for the environment.

“We also support the view that habits should change and that the choice of renewable energy sources should be at the forefront of the tourism industry,” said Loizides.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.