Cyprus and Greece are preparing for a shared tourism initiative that will take travellers, tourism businesses, local communities and environmental groups beyond the usual holiday experience and into direct action for the destinations they visit. On 25 September 2026, the two Mediterranean countries will take part in “Tourism Cares: Unite for Cleaner Destinations”, a cross-border clean-up and awareness campaign held two days before World Tourism Day on 27 September. The initiative began in Cyprus and is expanding into Greece for the first time this year, bringing tourism communities in both countries into the same programme.
A Cross-Border Tourism Campaign
The campaign will bring together hotels, resorts, restaurants, tourism organisations, visitors, diving centres, local communities, environmental groups and volunteers. Activities will take place across beaches, coastlines, seabeds, parks, forests, nature trails and urban areas, giving participating destinations a practical way to connect tourism activity with care for places visited by holidaymakers. The programme also gives participating tourism businesses a way to involve guests in destination care during their stay.
The campaign has been included in the UN Tourism programme of events for World Tourism Day 2026.
Marine Protection Takes Centre Stage
Underwater clean-ups will form an important part of the programme. Diving centres, marine organisations, tourism businesses, employees, guests and volunteers can work together to remove marine waste from seabed areas.
The focus on the sea is particularly relevant to Mediterranean destinations, where beaches, coves, harbours and diving locations are closely linked to visitor activity. Clean coastal and underwater environments are also part of the travel experience for visitors seeking swimming, snorkelling, diving, boating and waterfront stays.
The wider programme, “Destination Zero Waste Cyprus and Greece – Keep our Sand and Sea Plastic Free”, also focuses on reducing single-use plastics and protecting coastal and marine ecosystems.
Cyprus Builds on Earlier Campaigns
Cyprus has already hosted the Tourism Cares initiative for two years. In 2024, 60 tourism businesses and organisations participated, involving more than 1,650 employees and hotel visitors and removing more than 1.5 tonnes of waste.
In 2025, participation increased to 75 tourism businesses and organisations, with more than 2,250 employees and hotel visitors involved. The amount of waste collected also increased to 2.3 tonnes.
The 2026 edition expands the initiative across the border, creating a joint programme involving tourism participants in Cyprus and Greece.
Travel Destinations Across Cyprus
The campaign connects with destinations that form major parts of Cyprus’s visitor map. Previous CSTI clean-up activities in 2026 included Paphos, Limassol, Larnaca, Ayia Napa and Protaras.
For travellers, these locations offer different ways to experience Cyprus. Paphos combines archaeological attractions with coastal tourism, while Limassol links a waterfront setting with hotels, restaurants, marina facilities and urban attractions. Larnaca provides beaches and a city-based coastal experience, while Ayia Napa and Protaras are known for resort tourism, beaches and access to marine activities.
Earlier 2026 clean-up activity also involved Nissi Beach, Pernera Beach, Lady’s Mile and Sodap Beach, showing how environmental activity can take place in areas that are part of established visitor itineraries.
Greece Enters the Initiative
The 2026 campaign marks the first time tourism businesses and organisations from Greece are participating in Tourism Cares alongside Cyprus. Participants include tourism workers, visitors, diving centres, environmental organisations, local communities and volunteers.
The cross-border structure reflects the geographical connection between the two destinations and the wider Mediterranean tourism environment. Beaches, marine areas, nature trails and outdoor attractions form an important part of tourism in both countries, while the campaign creates a shared programme for environmental clean-up and awareness activities.
What Travellers Can Expect
Visitors in Cyprus or Greece around 25 September may find local tourism businesses and organisations taking part in clean-up or awareness activities. Hotels and tourism partners can organise activities with employees, guests, local groups and other tourism stakeholders.
The campaign is not structured only as a beach-cleaning event. Its programme includes coastal, underwater, nature and urban locations, allowing activities to take place close to different types of visitor accommodation and attractions.
For travellers interested in beaches, diving, nature walks or coastal exploration, the campaign places these experiences within a wider destination-care programme.
Tourism and Destination Protection
The initiative links tourism participation with the natural environments that support travel across Cyprus and Greece. Previous activities have shown how hotels, tourism professionals, visitors, students, local residents and volunteers can participate in destination clean-ups.
The 2026 campaign brings that approach into a two-country programme, with the main activity scheduled for 25 September. The date places the campaign immediately ahead of World Tourism Day, connecting tourism participation with clean-up and environmental awareness activities across the Mediterranean.
With Cyprus and Greece participating together for the first time, Tourism Cares 2026 extends a Cyprus-originated tourism clean-up programme into a wider cross-border initiative covering beaches, seabeds, parks, forests and nature trails.
