Cyprus has the highest rate of food waste in the EU, producing 286kg of food waste per person according to a Eurostat survey (2023). Reducing and managing food waste is a critical challenge for Cyprus, which must comply with the European Directive to reduce food waste by 30% by 2030.

Food Waste Reduction Event at Crowne Plaza Limassol

Crowne Plaza Limassol hosted an event on April 21st, 2026, called ‘Let’s Tackle Food Waste One Plate at a Time’. The aim of the event was to bring together key stakeholders to discuss how the European Directive on food waste reduction can be achieved in Cyprus, particularly in the Ho.Re.Ca industry.

In her opening address, Chrisemily Psilogeni, Director General of ACTE (Association of Cyprus Tourist Enterprises), emphasized that “the issue of food waste management is no longer just environmental, but rather economic, operational, and deeply strategic for Cyprus tourism itself.”

The panel discussion which ensued featured Ioanna Constantinidou (Senior Environment Officer, Department of Environment), Dr. Ioannis Vyrides (Associate Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, CUT), Christos Zachariades (Director & Senior Management Consultant, ERGONAUTS), and Loizos Afxentiou (Ideator of WASD-AI and waste management expert). The discussion highlighted key food waste reduction and management challenges including the lack of a strategic long-term vision for waste management and inadequate infrastructure, alongside cultural considerations and educational opportunities. The Department of Environment emphasized that the “Pay As You Throw” scheme will be rolled out for businesses in September 2026 and for households in 2027.

Rebecca Pierides, Managing Director at Crowne Plaza Limassol shared best practices from the hotel, outlining the measures her team have implemented to successfully reduce and manage waste, with a spotlight on WASD-AI, the new food waste reduction app the hotel has been piloting. Participants were then invited to enjoy a minimal-waste menu featuring exclusively local products.

The event attracted significant interest from key stakeholders including representatives from the Department of Environment and the Deputy Ministry of Tourism, representatives from organizations actively engaged in advancing sustainability in Cyprus such as CSTI, CARDET, and Friends of the Earth, as well as representatives from the hotel sector, shipping, higher education, consumer goods (CPG), communications, and marketing sectors.

fuTOURiSME

The event was organized as part of the Crowne Plaza Limassol WASD-AI – fuTOURiSME project. FuTOURiSME is a programme funded by European Union and administered by CARDET in Cyprus, which aims to support the digital and sustainable transition of small and medium sized tourism enterprises (SMEs). WASD-AI was one of twelve proposals in Cyprus to secure the fuTOURiSME grant, a distinction which recognizes the innovation and potential inherent in the project.

WASD-AI: a Cypriot Solution to a Global Challenge

WASD-AI is an innovative AI application designed to transform how professional kitchens think about their food waste and help them to reduce it. By using advanced algorithms, the system identifies waste, estimates its weight, and offers detailed reporting features, allowing users to analyze waste by custom periods. Photos in the back end are time-stamped and can be validated during the training process to improve accuracy. Data can also be presented by food disposal area or for the whole business. The app is flexible and can be installed on various devices such as tablets, phones or wall-mounted cameras, at points which suit your kitchen workflow. In turn, WASD-AI can help HoReCa businesses identify waste patterns and provide insights for food preparation, menu engineering and purchasing which can ultimately reduce costs.

The Crowne Plaza Limassol Case Study: Circular Economy in Practice

Rebecca Pierides, Managing Director at Crowne Plaza Limassol, shared the company’s vision “to shape the future of responsible travel by pioneering a minimal waste hospitality industry”. She described how training, education and certifications such as Green Key, Circular Economy and EMAS led the Crowne Plaza Limassol team to embrace circular economy principles and implement a rigorous waste sorting system, which resulted in 19.45% reduction in waste per guest night (2025 vs. 2024) and diverting over 40,000 kg of waste from landfill in 2025. Looking to the near future, Crowne Plaza Limassol aims to continue using WASD-AI to further reduce food waste and lower the environmental impact of its remaining food waste by installing a composter.

The Crowne Plaza Limassol – WASD-AI pilot showcases how the Cyprus hotel industry can aim beyond compliance and pioneer innovative food waste reduction solutions.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

Disclaimer: Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.