The Larnaca Tourism Development and Promotion Company (ETAP) is taking part in SAFEHOST, a European project aimed at helping the hospitality sector prevent and address gender-based violence, it said on Tuesday.

The project brings together organisations from Cyprus, Greece, Italy, Spain and Denmark and is funded through the European Union’s CERV programme.

It will provide hotels and frontline staff with tools to identify possible cases of gender-based violence and safely refer people to appropriate support.

SAFEHOST partners will examine existing practices and the challenges faced by hotels and civil society organisations.

Their findings will inform a training programme for hospitality workers, focusing on recognising warning signs, responding sensitively and following safe referral procedures.

The project also aims to establish cooperation and referral protocols involving more than 60 hotels, strengthening links between the tourism industry and specialised support services.

A key part of SAFEHOST will be a multilingual mobile application featuring an AI chatbot and referral board.

The application will provide information and access to support services.

A multilingual information campaign will also target hotel guests and the wider public.

ETAP said hospitality workers are often in direct contact with people travelling, working or staying away from their familiar surroundings.

This places them in an important position to identify vulnerable people or incidents that might otherwise go unnoticed.

The project partnership features organisations from Cyprus and other participating countries, including the Limassol Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The partners aim to enhance the sector’s role in preventing and responding to gender-based violence.