Nicosia gathers European sustainability leaders in February: Cyprus pushes “tourism of tomorrow” to the center of the debate
At the beginning of 2026, Cyprus wants to more clearly tell the story that is crucial for its economy: how the island can rely on tourism while reducing pressure on natural resources, extending the season, and distributing benefits more evenly to local communities. In this context, on February 27, 2026, Nicosia will host the European conference dedicated to sustainable tourism, “The Tourism of Tomorrow at the Heart of Europe,” held at the Filoxenia Conference Centre. The gathering is organized by the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI) on the occasion of its 20th anniversary, and the conference takes place under the auspices of the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2026.
Although Cyprus is often perceived by the public as a typical Mediterranean “sun and sea” destination, domestic tourism policy in recent years has increasingly emphasized a shift toward quality, sustainability, and year-round offerings. Nicosia, as the administrative and cultural center, thereby gains the role of a place where policy, profession, and local initiatives merge, while conference tourism and urban content become an important tool for breaking seasonality. For visitors coming to the gathering and accompanying programs, practical information about arrival and stay will also be found through
accommodation offers in Nicosia, especially in zones well-connected with conference facilities.
Why exactly now: EU presidency and pressures on Mediterranean destinations
From January 1 to June 30, 2026, Cyprus presides over the Council of the European Union, which gives the state additional political visibility, but also the responsibility to open topics that are European priorities. Tourism is among the sectors that strongly feel the effects of climate change, changes in demand, energy transition, and the need for infrastructure adjustment in the EU, while Mediterranean destinations are further burdened by extreme heat, risks of drought, and the sensitivity of coastal ecosystems.
That is precisely why the conference in Nicosia is not designed as a protocol event, but as a place for discussion on the resilience of tourism destinations: how to plan mobility, how to reduce waste and plastic, how to protect the sea, and how tourism can remain a source of income without collapsing the natural and social foundations on which it rests. The organizers announce a merging of local and international perspectives, and such a format suits the Cypriot position: the island simultaneously depends on international demand and must solve very concrete local problems, from water management to coastal protection.
20 years of CSTI: from partnership to a platform for policies and projects
CSTI was founded in 2006 as an independent initiative that emerged from the partnership of the private sector, associations, and public actors, with an emphasis on sustainability and responsible destination management. The twentieth anniversary gives additional weight to the message that sustainability is not a short-term trend, but a long-term job that requires measuring impacts, education, financing, and changes in the practice of tourism companies.
In the programmatic logic of the gathering, the connection between policy and operational solutions is particularly emphasized. Tourism is often reduced in public discussions to the number of arrivals and overnight stays, but the conference in Nicosia starts from the idea that the quality of the visitor experience is connected with the quality of life of local residents. This includes the preservation of cultural heritage, accessibility of public space, traffic management, and environmental pressure. In this sense, the organizers position the conference as a European forum where attempts are made to harmonize the interests of industry, local communities, and regulators.
What is on the table: plastic, invasive species, transport, and “blue” resources
According to the published program, the conference covers topics that are increasingly important in Mediterranean tourism. A special session is dedicated to plastic pollution and invasive species, with an emphasis on how the degradation of the marine environment directly affects the tourism offer. In the discussions, the example of the lionfish is also mentioned as an invasive species that changes ecosystems and can affect diving and coastal tourism, which is a topic that has been increasingly opening up in the Eastern Mediterranean in recent years.
The second strong block refers to sustainable transport and tourism in Europe, which is crucial for destinations that depend on air connections but must simultaneously reduce emissions. The program also includes talks on the “European perspective” and cooperation on marine policies, which is relevant for islands that live off the coast, swimming, and marine recreation. In such discussions, tourism is viewed as part of a wider system: without a healthy sea, coast, and infrastructure, there is no long-term stable tourism economy.
For participants and guests planning to stay longer and get to know the city, it is especially useful to check
accommodation near the conference venue in advance, as Nicosia is sensitive to demand surges during periods of major events, and conference tourism is becoming an increasingly important segment of its offer.
Who is coming: a blend of policy, industry, and nature protection
The program and announcements of the organizers indicate that the conference aims to gather different levels of decision-making. Presentations and panels with representatives of European institutions, Cypriot authorities, airports, and the tourism sector, as well as international organizations dealing with nature conservation and sustainability standards, have been announced. In such a setup, the key ambition is to discuss implementation beyond “big words”: how local authorities can introduce sustainable practices, how the hotel sector can reduce waste and resource consumption, and how standards and obligations can be measured and tracked.
In the program itself, two panels are highlighted: the “local perspective” and the “international perspective.” Such a structure reflects the reality of tourism in Cyprus: part of the problem is solved locally, through communal infrastructure, spatial management, and destination management, while part of the solution relies on European policies, financing, and common standards. At the same time, the industry seeks a predictable framework that enables investment, especially in projects of energy efficiency, circular economy, and product transformation toward year-round offerings.
Sustainability as an economic issue: year-round tourism and resilience to crises
In recent years, Cypriot authorities and the sector have increasingly pointed out the need for tourism to develop outside the peak of the summer season. In public discussions, it is emphasized that a model relying exclusively on volume is not stable in a world of climate and geopolitical shocks, and that sustainable growth must include nature protection and support for local communities. The European context further reinforces this logic: the EU increasingly links the competitiveness of tourism with sustainability, digitalization, and the quality of jobs, and destinations that do not adapt risk a decline in reputation and an increase in costs.
In this picture, Nicosia gets a new function. As a city that is not a typical “beach” destination, it can offer cultural content, gastronomy, museums, events, and conferences throughout the year. This is also important for the more even development of the island: when tourism does not depend only on the coast, the interior and smaller places can also feel more benefits, especially through connection with local producers and thematic routes.
If you are planning to come for the conference or as part of a wider trip around the island, it makes sense to look at
accommodation for visitors in Nicosia and organize a tour of the city and day trips accordingly, as Nicosia is often used as a base for exploring other parts of Cyprus.
Water, waste, and energy: where sustainability turns into an operational problem
Sustainability in tourism in the Mediterranean is not just a “green” label, but also a question of basic infrastructure. Cyprus has repeatedly warned that the summer peak in demand, along with drier periods, creates pressure on water supply. In such circumstances, tourism growth can increase the vulnerability of the system, so there is more and more talk about investments in desalination, network renewal, and more efficient consumption management. For the tourism sector, this means that sustainability becomes part of business risk: without stable water and energy, the quality of service and business security come into question.
The same applies to waste, especially plastic. Mediterranean coasts are among the most exposed to marine litter, and tourism products often generate a large share of single-use plastic. The Global Tourism Plastics Initiative, supported by UN Tourism, is aimed at eliminating problematic and unnecessary plastic and encouraging circular solutions in the tourism value chain. That is exactly why it is not a coincidence that a discussion on plastic is introduced into the program at the conference in Nicosia: it is a topic that simultaneously concerns the environment, costs, logistics, and destination reputation.
Key dilemma: how to measure progress and avoid “greenwashing”
One of the biggest challenges of sustainable tourism in Europe is the difference between declarations and practice. Destinations and companies are increasingly announcing climate plans, waste reduction, and nature protection, but without clear indicators, progress remains difficult to verify. CSTI emphasizes the need for plans and measurable activities in tourism in its documents, and in the European context, more and more initiatives require regular reporting and comparability of data. This is not an administrative formality: without measuring emissions, energy consumption, and waste, it is difficult to manage change, and the public quickly recognizes when sustainability is used only as a marketing layer.
The conference, therefore, gains additional meaning as a place where attempts are made to agree on the “language” of sustainability: what is realistic, what is a priority, who pays for the transition, and how to include small entrepreneurs. Cyprus has a specific interest in this discussion because its island economy is dependent on international trends, but also compact enough that pilot projects can show an effect relatively quickly, especially in cooperation with local authorities and larger hotel systems.
Nicosia as an exemplary case: a city building identity through tourism out of season
In regional terms, Nicosia strives to strengthen its position as a sustainable urban destination, which includes the development of public space, better connectivity with the surroundings, and strengthening the cultural and congress segment. In statements by Cypriot officials, it was previously emphasized that the capital can connect urban and rural tourism and offer a network of experiences that does not rely on the summer peak. This is also important for branding Cyprus as a destination that offers more than beaches, and for travelers, it means a wider choice of content during periods when the coast is quieter.
For such a transformation, the “visitor experience” is also crucial: sustainability is seen in practice through the availability of public transport, cleanliness, reduction of noise and waste, and through authentic programs that include local producers and cultural institutions. That is precisely why the theme of the conference – tourism of tomorrow – gets a very concrete dimension in Nicosia: the city wants to show that sustainability can be turned into a higher quality stay, rather than an additional burden.
What can be expected after the conference
According to available information, the conference is designed as a platform that should encourage further projects and collaborations, rather than a one-time event. In the European context, this is an important message: sustainable tourism requires continuity and coordination between levels of government, industry, and civil society. As the presiding state in the first half of 2026, Cyprus has additional space to push the themes of sustainability and tourism resilience into European discussions, and Nicosia as host gets the opportunity to consolidate its reputation as a conference city where tourism is talked about seriously – through policies, plans, and enforceable measures.
For Cyprus, the stakes are high: tourism is one of the key economic sectors, and future growth will depend on the ability to protect natural resources, reduce seasonality, and increase the quality of the offer. The conference at Filoxenia, with an emphasis on plastic, the sea, transport, and resilience, shows that the “tourism of tomorrow” can no longer be planned without environmental and social accounts, and that destinations that are the first to harmonize the interests of industry and community will have a clear advantage.
Sources:- CSTI – announcement of the European conference “European Conference on Sustainable Tourism: Celebrating 20 Years of CSTI Leadership in Sustainability (2006–2026)” with date and location (link)
- CSTI – official conference program (Filoxenia Conference Centre, February 27, 2026; thematic sessions and panels) (link)
- Council of the EU (Consilium) – official page on the Cypriot presidency of the Council of the EU (January 1 – June 30, 2026) (link)
- Secretariat of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU 2026 – confirmation that Cyprus presides in the first half of 2026 (link)
- UN Tourism – Global Tourism Plastics Initiative (initiative goals and framework for plastic reduction in tourism) (link)
- CSTI – Action Plan for Climate Action in Tourism 2025 (plan and approach to climate action in tourism) (link)
- EU Tourism Platform – Cyprus 2025 Tourism Action Plan (link with National Tourism Strategy 2035 and the goal of year-round tourism) (link)
- Cyprus Mail – reporting on the goals of developing year-round and sustainable tourism in Cyprus (link)
- Kathimerini Cyprus – Nicosia as a model of sustainable tourism (urban planning, greenery, and connection with surroundings) (link)
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