UNWTO to Help Thassos Rebuild Tourism Sector in Inclusive Way

Thassos, Greece. Photo source: UNWTO.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has recently signed a collaboration agreement with the Municipality of Thassos in Greece to help the island rebuild its tourism sector in an inclusive way.

The new joint project will focus on two core issues: tourism marketing and community involvement in tourism on the island. The work is part of a wider focus to place local communities at the center of tourism policies as the sector’s recovery continues to gather pace.

As part of the collaboration, UNWTO will work with the municipality to boost the diversity and resilience of tourism on the island.

Thassos, Greece.

This will involve analyzing the marketing initiatives for Thassos tourism carried out over recent years and developing a new marketing action plan. The marketing activity will aim to provide Thassos with a targeted action plan to improve the marketing efforts and initiatives through contemporary and effective marketing tools.

The joint work will also look at the perceptions, vision, and priorities of residents with regards to the development of tourism in Thassos.

A residents study will be carried out with the aim of better understanding the views of Thassos residents on tourism. This will involve conducting surveys and focus groups to gather information on how residents perceive that tourism affects the island’s economy, environment, and culture. The findings of the study will be used to inform the development of sustainable and inclusive tourism policies for Thassos.

“We are delighted to be working with the Municipality of Thassos, Greece, on this important project,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, adding that “this project is a great example of how UNWTO is working with communities to ensure that tourism is developed in a way that is beneficial to all.”

“With the present cooperation, the island of Thassos acquires international and up-to-date technical assistance ‘tools’ related to tourism development,” said Thassos Mayor Eleftherios Kyriakidis.

“We are generating knowledge to consult our policy of extroversion that is needed for a more sustainable tourism development in Thassos, taking always into account the natural environment, history, culture and local society,” Kyriakidis added.