WIFI ON URBAN BUSES BY LIMASSOL TOURISM BOARD

With a commitment to upgrading Limassol, not only for visitors but also for locals, the Limassol Tourism Board has implemented in addition to the public transport telematics system, a series of measures to make the city and province more friendly to pedestrians and cyclists as well as to encourage the use of public transport.

In the context of the European Program Civitas Destinations (Horizon 2020), the Limassol Tourism Board has assessed the needs, designed solutions and implemented actions to upgrade and promote sustainable means of transportation.

Through its actions, the Board is aiming to increase the use of public transport, with the installation of free WiFi in coastal buses, a measure implemented in a pilot phase. The objective of this action is to improve the passenger experience, since internet browsing has become an important criterion in the choices of the young age groups especially. In this way, the passenger can deal with work issues on-line during the journey or even be entertained by watching a movie, surfing the internet or participating in social networks. The installation of WiFi on buses was accompanied by a promotional campaign, in print and online media, as well as on city buses.

In the context of the European Program Civitas Destinations, and as a replication activity, Limassol Tourism Company organized a poster competition among primary schools of Limassol region with the theme “I travel by bus” and with a total of 40 talented young artists participated.

On Thursday 17th of September 2020, the award ceremony took place and 80 people have been attended. Young students received their awards such as participation certificates and gifts. Students were very enthusiastic and expressed their interest for participating in more activities in the coming future.

Similarly, an exhibition has been organised in Limassol old port, with the twenty posters of the young artists, and will last until 15th of October 2020. Residents and tourists will have the opportunity to visit the Poster exhibition and admire the creations of young students

Also, on Friday 18th of September 2020, a night ride in Limassol’s city centre, has been organized with more than hundred participants, in collaboration with Next Bike Cyprus, that offered bicycles to all people interested to experience a night ride by bicycle and explore the city.

All the activities have been organized and implemented within the framework of European Mobility Week 2020

Limassol in Cyprus, a favourite tourist destination, promotes sustainable mobility modes to improve the quality of life of tourists and citizens alike. Have a look at their remarkable achievements co-funded by the EU’s HORIZON2020 programme.

We support a car free day in Limassol one Sunday every month. An event day without cars should take place within central Limassol one Sunday per month from 10am to 6pm, so as to enable loading and unloading and ensure time to initiate and complete long-distance travel during the day. Circulation on this day should only be permitted to buses (with enhanced service to enable movement), taxis, emergency vehicles and designated necessary trips (assistance to ill and vulnerable people, hospital visits, transport for people with disabilities).

The European program Civitas Destinations is extremely important for Limassol city. A city that demonstrates a very high growth rate that inevitably creates traffic congestion problems, and barriers for citizens to move freely and comfortably. This project focuses on encouraging the use of alternative modes of transport such as cycling, public transport and walking and promotes travelling in a more environmentally friendly way. Trough the project’s life cycle we have implemented a number of measures. The most notable one is the close cooperation established with the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Cyprus. The program also focuses on children, so they can safely go to school by bike or on foot. One of the most important aspects of sustainable development is the enhancement of existing infrastructure including pavements, cycling paths, increase of available bikes for rental, electric bikes and development of information systems for parking availability to minimize unnecessary movement of vehicles in the city.

Despite the challenges we all face during the current pandemic, the CIVITAS community will continue to highlight urban mobility best practice and learning opportunities.

In this context, we are pleased to announce that the European Commission will host its first large-scale urban mobility conference later this year.

Between 29 September and 1 October 2020 in Brussels, Belgium, the free Urban Mobility Days conference will place clean and sustainable transport in the limelight like no event before.

By gathering leading figures and showcasing top success stories in the field, this will be the ideal place for town and city representatives to learn how to turn the theme of the conference – ‘zero-emission mobility for all’ – into reality.

Urban Mobility Days serves to unite two flagship events in the urban mobility calendar – the CIVITAS Forum Conference and the European Conference on Sustainable Urban Mobility Plans (SUMPs).

It represents a unique forum for interaction between policymakers, local authorities, academics, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), other mobility practitioners, and all those putting the SUMP concept into practice.

As mobility can no longer be understood as merely moving from A to B, Urban Mobility Days will go beyond transport and link zero-emission mobility initiatives with wider EU efforts to tackle climate change and make Europe a carbon-neutral continent by 2050.

Put the dates of the free Urban Mobility Days conference in your diary if you want to:

Debate the urgent issues of today with the keenest minds in urban transport and related fields.
Experience the exciting results of the CIVITAS Living Labs and other projects pioneering clean, green mobility.
Discover the latest in sustainable urban mobility planning and transport trends and technologies.
Registration and further details about the conference programme are coming soon! In the meantime, visit the Urban Mobility Days event page for more details and follow #urbanm

One of the fastest growing global trends in travel is sustainable tourism, and this year, close to 6% of trips will be eco-friendly. Further surveys suggest that the majority of tourists would like their excursions to be more sustainable and have a positive environmental impact, but they aren’t always able to achieve these goals. In recognising this demand, Limassol has taken steps not only to help tourists enjoy an eco-friendly stay, but also to ensure that their visit is ecologically and socially beneficial to the city and surrounding area. Schemes such as the Green Label Award and Tourism Mobility Card are promoting increased sustainability in local transport. With further encouragement to tourists to support other local businesses, sustainable tourism will help Limassol continue to thrive.

An Initiative to Support Local Businesses

Sustainable tourism is good for local business, and it is a healthy way of achieving economic growth and regeneration in local communities. To support this burgeoning industry, The Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative was set up to support the protection of the environment, the careful use of natural resources and the enhancement of social and economic conditions in rural areas.

One of the best ways for tourists to be environmentally responsible is to eat locally grown produce and buy merchandise made in the region. The increase in custom means that local businesses can reduce their carbon footprint from packaging and transport costs, and previously disadvantaged communities can continue to thrive. When more tourists visit Limassol’s Farmers’ Market, attend the celebrated annual wine festival and support local growers of olives, oranges and carob, the resulting economic growth helps to improve areas for both residents and holidaymakers.

A Scheme for Sustainable Travel

Tourists who want to travel more sustainably give great consideration to finding more eco-friendly ways to reach their desired destination. However, once they have arrived, travelling around a resort can also have a significant environmental impact. To address this issue, Limassol has devised a plan to promote more sustainable means of transport, including cycling, public transport and electric cars. The plan includes the introduction of the Tourist Mobility Card which allows visitors to get around easily during their stay and access points of interest for a discounted fee.

In this way, the tourist experience is enhanced while still maintaining a smaller carbon footprint. To further support environmentally-aware visitors, hotels encourage guests to use sustainable transport, and their efforts are recognized with a Green Label Award. Although maintained by the Limassol Tourism Board, it is hoped that in the long run, the award will be introduced across all regions.

An increasing number of visitors to Cyprus would like to be reassured that their stay meets eco-friendly criteria through making a positive environmental and social impact on the country. With its actions on promoting sustainability and rewarding businesses, Limassol has been quick to recognize the appetite for sustainable tourism and the benefits that it can bring to both local residents and visitors.

By Jennifer Dawson