Larnaca, Cyprus. The Larnaca tourism board, Etap, won five awards at this week’s Cyprus Tourism Awards in recognition of its strategy for sustainable, innovative and quality tourism development in the district. The organisation received one platinum and four gold awards for initiatives linked to rural tourism, accessibility, culture, digital innovation and religious heritage.
Platinum award for beekeeping villages project
The platinum award was given for the Beekeeping Villages of Mountainous Larnaca, a sustainable thematic tourism cluster involving nine mountain communities in the district.
Etap said the initiative aims to promote the area’s beekeeping tradition while strengthening local entrepreneurship, preserving cultural identity and supporting the sustainable development of the countryside.
The project is being implemented in cooperation with local communities, the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, the Honey Network, related businesses and the Troodos Network.
Gold award for accessible tourism initiative
A gold award was given to the Accessible Tourism in Larnaca Region initiative, which focuses on making the district a more friendly and accessible destination for all visitors, including people with disabilities.
Gold award for digital cultural route
Another gold distinction went to the Larnaca 360° Cultural Walk, a digital cultural route that connects the city’s main attractions through an interactive browsing experience and virtual content.
Gold award for booking platform
Etap Larnaca was also awarded for the Larnaca Region Experiential Booking Platform, a digital platform for booking experiences and activities.
According to the announcement, the platform helps enrich the tourism product, contributes to extending the tourist season and supports small local businesses.
Gold award for religious heritage project
A gold award was also given to Larnaca Digital Religious Experiences, a series of digital religious and cultural experiences that showcase the region’s ecclesiastical and religious heritage through virtual tours, narratives and digital representations.