INSETE Report: Priority Areas for Greek Tourism’s Sustainable Development

Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

INSETE, the Greek Tourism Confederation’s (SETE) research body, on Monday released its latest report which includes guidelines for promoting sustainable practices in Greece’s tourism industry.

The research body aims for the “EXPERT REPORT: Sustainable Tourism in Greece”, carried out by Considerate Group, to create a path forward towards the planning of future actions and initiatives.

According to the report, Greece has established itself as a premier tourist destination, with a significant contribution to the country’s GDP. However, the industry encounters obstacles including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and challenges associated with climate change. As a result, there is a growing demand for sustainable tourism activities and services.

The report highlights the need for change and defines sustainable tourism in contrast to conventional tourism.

“Tourism has made significant progress in recent years, improving the tourist product and life of residents, but at the same time also creating increased demands to face modern challenges,” INSETE President and SETE Secretary General George Vernicos said.

Speaking during the report’s presentation to the media, Vernicos stressed that the environmental impacts, with climate change in the lead; the need for destination management at all levels; and the evolution of travel behavior, has made sustainability a priority.

INSETE Research Director Aris Ikkos, INSETE President and SETE Secretary General George Vernicos and INSETE General Manager Elias Kikilias. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

He added that although large companies are already incorporating ESG (Environment-Society-Governance) criteria into their strategies, the industry includes many smaller businesses that find it difficult to integrate such models and mainly focus on getting through the season.

“We, as SETE, want to focus on smaller businesses as well… It is important to strengthen the sector as a whole to form a common understanding of sustainable development… The goal is for tourism, which is the engine of the Greek economy, not to simply follow developments, but to become a factor to lead positive change,” he said.

Vernicos added that initial indications show that Greek tourism in 2024 will do well. “Just like in 2023 and this means that the voices calling for the need to switch to a more ‘green’ and sustainable model will increase even more,” he said.

Although the report acknowledges the progress made by stakeholders in the Greek tourism industry towards sustainability, it points out that further advancements are required to transition from a ‘do no harm’ approach to a net-positive impact.

The report presents 21 recommendations to guide the promotion of sustainable tourism development in Greece and categorises them into four main areas:

– diversifying the tourism product offerings,
– fostering collaboration and sharing best practices,
– aligning the tourism strategy with the Pathway to Net Positive Tourism,
– and monitoring and evaluating Greece’s progress towards net positive tourism.

8 priority areas

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Of the 21 proposals, INSETE analysts singled out 8 that should be prioritized considering that they can bring the greatest benefits and are relatively easier to implement. The 8 priorities are:

1. Responsibly enhancing and promoting biodiversity-rich destinations: Greece is blessed with a rich biodiversity including unique flora and fauna, pristine ecosystems, and beautiful landscapes. This offers the opportunity to develop a form of sustainable tourism that can cover unique experiences such as hiking trails in mountainous areas, birdwatching opportunities, and other sustainable nature-based activities.
2. Extending the tourism season in destinations beyond the summer months: Climate change is predicted to lead to a surge in hotter and drier summers but also milder shoulder seasons. Extending the tourism season is therefore a solution to take the pressure off destinations that predominately rely on the high season. Furthermore, it helps futureproofing the tourism industry as heatwaves and wildfires will most likely negatively impact the current high tourism season.
3. Marketing alternative tourism offerings and expanding beyond the traditional ‘Sun and Beach’ product: There are several alternatives to the traditional ‘Sun and Beach’ tourism product that have already been explored or are being considered in various destinations throughout the country. To remain competitive and attractive in the tourism market, the key recommendation is to strengthen and increase the position of these alternative tourism products while acknowledging the latest visitor trends and expectations. These alternative products include Agritourism, Silver Tourism, Digital Nomads, Ecotourism, Gastronomic Tourism, as well as Wellness and Health Tourism, Adventure and Outdoor Tourism, Education and Learning Tourism, and Cultural and Heritage Tourism.
4. Scaling and sharing existing initiatives through the dissemination of best practices, including funding models, to support the development of future initiatives: A number of public, private or mixed private/public initiatives which highlight a major opportunity to expand these sustainable tourism projects and enhance their reach and influence. These tackle a variety of sustainability topics such as hosting more sustainable MICE events with the ‘Green events’ concept at the Grand Hotel Palace in Thessaloniki and replacing engine vehicles with electric vehicles for public transport with the ASTYBUS project on the Astypalea island.
5. Advocating for environmental education as a means to increase awareness and understanding of ESG issues: Raising environmental awareness within society is crucial for expediting sustainable tourism development. Only when tourism stakeholders fully comprehend the environmental impacts of their decisions and actions, and the potential advantages of responsible behaviour, will they be motivated to make a change.
6. Promoting and facilitating the adoption of established industry frameworks such as the European Travel Commission’s sustainable tourism implementation framework, the SHA’s Pathway to Net Positive, and the GSTC Criteria. These frameworks encourage moving away from the notion that the primary indicator of tourism success is growth and establish sustainable indicators that enhance understanding of the positive benefits of transitioning to a more sustainable tourism sector.
7. Conducting an assessment of the tourism sector’s water consumption and its implications on carrying capacity to inform infrastructure planning and management: Water scarcity is a pressing issue in Greece, and the tourism sector is a significant consumer of water resources. Conducting an assessment of the water policymakers and tourism industry stakeholders identify areas where water conservation measures can be implemented and where infrastructure investment may be necessary to reduce the sector’s overall water usage.
8. Conducting studies to assess the tourism sector’s waste reduction efforts in waste management practices and operations: The tourism industry is a significant contributor to waste generation and environmental pollution in Greece. To address this issue, it is important to evaluate the current waste management practices and identify opportunities for improvement. This could include assessing the effectiveness of waste reduction initiatives, such as recycling programmes and waste separation practices, and identifying areas where additional efforts can be made to reduce waste generation and improve waste disposal practices.

Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

Presenting the key points of the report, INSETE Research Director Aris Ikkos stressed that the analysis reveals a strong interconnection between the tourism industry in Greece and other sectors.

“Seeking collaboration and scaling existing sustainable tourism initiatives and frameworks have been identified as key opportunities to promote sustainable tourism development in Greece,” he said.

On his part, SETE Executive Director Alexandros Thanos emphasized that the INSETE study documented the need for actions and initiatives that will tangibly and effectively strengthen the sustainable transition of Greek tourism businesses.

SETE Executive Director Alexandros Thanos. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

“In this context, SETE, in collaboration with INSETE and Marketing Greece, is planning a network of actions, which it will announce in the near future,” Thanos informed.

INSETE General Manager Elias Kikilias highlighted that the research body supports destinations and businesses of all sizes in the implementation of sustainable practices With strategic and specialized studies, as well as with practical tools.

INSETE General Manager Elias Kikilias. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

“Focusing on sustainability, INSETE will soon release a study on diversity, equality and inclusion,” Kikilias said.

Press here for the “EXPERT REPORT: Sustainable Tourism in Greece”.