Nicosia, Cyprus. A European sustainable tourism conference marking 20 years of the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative (CSTI) also served as a forum for warnings about climate pressures and pollution affecting Mediterranean destinations.
Anniversary event draws international speakers
The ‘European Conference of Sustainable Tourism – 20 Years of CSTI’, held on Friday, brought together around 400 participants and included two EU commissioners among the speakers. It featured testimonials and a video highlighting CSTI’s work under its executive chairman, Philippos Drousiotis.
Boris Erg of IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), one of the speakers, acknowledged the celebratory nature of the event while noting underlying tension about the issues discussed.
Speakers highlight climate risks and shifting tourism patterns
Jeremy Sampson, CEO of The Travel Foundation, said in a presentation slide that “The tourism system we have is not fit for the climate reality,” and called for a total redesign of the system. He said that 20 years ago sustainability had been gaining traction but remained largely peripheral, with efforts focused on guidelines, pilot projects and voluntary standards.
Dr Christina Anagnostopoulou of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki said Mediterranean countries receive 360 million international visitors annually, while the region is warming 20 per cent faster than the global average. She said the number of days with temperatures above 37 degrees is expected to double by 2050 and that water availability is decreasing by 25 per cent.
She said extreme heat and discomfort are not what most tourists seek and concluded that “The traditional summer-peak model is becoming riskier.”
Emissions, community pressure and plastic pollution raised
Speakers also discussed emissions from tourism, pressure on local communities and plastic pollution. Erg said the Mediterranean has accumulated 1.2 million tonnes of plastic, adding that plastic does not dissolve easily, and that the figure is projected to at least double by 2040 unless action is taken.
The conference included warnings and “uncomfortable truths,” but participants did not explicitly address what was described as the “unsayable.”
What changes do you think would make tourism better aligned with the region’s climate and environmental realities?
