GNTO UK Presents ‘Sustainable Sailing in Greece’ Guide

A new guide offering tips on sailing responsibly in Greece was presented in London last week during a special event organized by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) office in UK & Ireland in collaboration with the Ionian Environment Foundation (IEF).

Titled “Sustainable Sailing in Greece” the guide was written by environmentalist Christina Archer and funded by the IEF.

“I just launched a simple guide for the hundreds of thousands of visitors who sail the Ionian seas each summer, with a view to not only offer some practical guidance, but also get them to be part of the conversation on what needs to happen to protect the amazing coastal communities and waters of Greece. In this area of the world, a sustainable sailing sector can really help with the preservation of marine ecosystems and support the development of coastal communities,” said Archer via her LinkedIn account.

The new guide offers useful information about responsible sailing in Greek seas and maritime activities that do not harm the marine environment and promotes sustainable practices both on and off-board.

From left: Simon Karythis, CEO Ionian Environment Foundation; Eleni Skarveli, GNTO UK & Ireland Office Director; Claire Shields, country operations manager at Sunsail; Rod Heikell, writer; and Christine Archer, the writer of the guide. Photo source: GNTO

During the event also titled “Sustainable Sailing in Greece”, GNTO UK & Ireland Office Director Eleni Skarveli was joined by Simon Karythis, CEO Ionian Environment Foundation; Greece’s Ambassador to London, Ioannis Tsaousis; Claire Shields, country operations manager at Sunsail; writer Rod Heikell; and Archer.

The project is aimed at the UK market. According to GNTO data, approximately 10,000 Brits choose to go on a sailing trip at least once.

The event came to a close with an open discussion moderated by Archer about the need for crew members to work together and the importance of offering visitors to Greece more information for their holidays.