Greece’s Draft Land Use Plan Includes Guidelines for Cultural and Religious Tourism

Photo source: Visit Greece

With cultural and religious-pilgrimage tourism being two of Greece’s strong points, the new Special Spatial Framework for Tourism, currently under deliberation in Athens, encompasses these sectors.

Drafted jointly by the ministries of Tourism and Environment and Energy, the new framework for land use for tourism purposes aims to facilitate the development of Greece’s tourism sector, incorporating numerous provisions for special interest tourism and alternative forms.

Specifically, with regard to Cultural Tourism, the draft bill provides for:

– The upgrading and promotion of Greece’s museums, monuments, and archaeological sites, prioritizing destinations in the new framework labeled as “Developing areas”, “Areas with development potential”, and “Undeveloped areas”.

Photo source: Visit Greece

– The promotion of complete restoration works in conjunction with Tourism Destination Management Plans (DMPs) for historic city centers, focusing on destinations categorized under the new framework as “Control Areas” and “Developed Areas”. The planning must include actions for the interconnection or unification of archaeological sites where feasible.

– The promotion of complete restoration works in conjunction with Destination Management Plans (DMPs) in the surrounding areas of archaeological sites and museums with high numbers of visitors.

– The establishment of cultural paths in large geographical areas (on a regional unit basis and above) that will interconnect archaeological sites and monuments. Where feasible, these paths should incorporate significant traditional elements and sites of unique natural beauty.

– The tourism promotion of large archaeological excavation sites with international appeal.

– The facilitation, based on land use regulations, for the creation of auxiliary facilities (such as ticket booths, catering facilities, etc.) in the immediate surrounding areas of archaeological sites and museums with high visitation numbers.

– The promotion of destinations to host audiovisual productions (film, TV).

– Using and maintaining open-air theaters as part of efforts to promote Greece internationally in cultural tourism.

Photo source: Visit Greece

With regard to Religious – Pilgrimage Tourism, the spatial framework draft bill includes the following provisions:

– The preparation and implementation of Tourism Destination Management Plans (DMPs) in the surrounding areas of sites, monuments, buildings, monasteries, and churches associated with the history and development of religious activities or of religious significance in general. In these areas, urban planning regulations should permit the construction of auxiliary infrastructure for religious events and ceremonies, cultural events, and conference centers.

– Ensuring the protection of unique architectural features of monasteries from new and alternative-style building additions.

Mount Athos

Photo source: mountathosarea.org

The new Special Spatial Framework for Tourism highlights Mount Athos, situated on the Athos peninsula in northeastern Greece, as of “special importance for religious tourism”. Given its status as an autonomous monastic community, the framework aims to facilitate the development of activities that directly or indirectly support its religious role and ensure sustainable development. Mount Athos is also known as the Holy Mountain.

Greece’s new legal framework for the spatial plan that will define land use for tourism purposes will remain subject to public dialogue until September 15, taking place electronically among all sides concerned.