Greek Tourism - UNCOVERED

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management & marketing agency in Europe, TOPOSOPHY offers a full range of

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work with a diverse clientele base within the travel and tourism industry using

an innovative approach, flexible operations and fully committed partners at all

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TOPOSOPHY INFO

Greek Tourism uncovered 2014

To build a tourism strategy that lasts and that works for all, you have

to be realistic in analysing what works and what doesn’t. in the first

of this ‘uncovered’ series of reports, experts at ToPosoPHY share

their views on the tourism resurgence in Greece and the top priorities

for government and business in Greece today.

cruise lines are queuing up to bring visitors to Greek shores, airlines

of all colours and origins are returning to Greek airports and hotels

are yet again filling with guests eager to enjoy Greek hospitality. But

after some difficult years, is the picture really this rosy? A closer look

reveals a range of concerns as big and small players across Greece

struggle to keep up with their european competitors and understand

how to capitalise on growth from the emerging markets.

discover ToPosoPHY’s take on the current state of Greek Tourism

in this candid report that aims to provide much food for thought to

tourism industry professionals in Greece and beyond.

Dr. Pantazis Pastras | Senior Research Analyst

Manolis Psarros | Managing Director

Peter Jordan | Senior Tourism Analyst

TeaM of ConTribuTors

inTroDuCTion

A counTrY ToTrAnsiTion WiTH ATourism secTor inProGression

This report substantiates the common perception of tourism in Greece as a driv-

ing force of the national economy, but one which has not yet been fully integrat-

ed into the country’s development agenda and priorities. To verify this oxymoron,

the report addresses the most recent data related to the sector’s transition from

years of stagnation to a period of unprecedented growth. Since the beginning of

the crisis at the end of 2008, both the country and the tourism sector have expe-

rienced significant pressures caused by domestic unrest. The limited availability

of public funds undermined the foundations of the welfare state, with policies

and programmes focused on urban regeneration in particular being put on hold.

With overnights and hotel occupancies falling sharply in many Greek destina-

tions in 2010 and 2012 as a result of the country’s image being affected by nega-

tive media coverage in major source markets, the sovereign debt crisis exposed

the vulnerabilities of the tourism sector and jeopardised Greece’s identity as a

hospitable destination for foreign visitors. Another consequence of the crisis was

that the competence of the public and the private sector to deal effectively with

domestic challenges and growing international competition was questioned in

an aggressive manner in the light of escalating political tension.

1

In the Greek case, learning that the viability of tourism at each place is largely

attached to the prospect of socio-political stability and the well-being of local

communities came at a high price for several insular, coastal and urban destina-

tions.

The positive news is that Greek tourism seems to favour a die-hard approach

to recovery. Since all available indicators about the performance of Greek tour-

ism in 2013 and the first nine months of 2014 have exhibited signs of a remark-

able comeback, it is no surprise that optimism is firmly back nowadays among

relevant stakeholder groups and organisations. Major reforms along with struc-

tural changes have also contributed to redefining the institutional framework of

tourism planning and development at the national level. Nevertheless, there is

much evidence to suggest Greek tourism in its current condition still falls short

of a holistic approach to destination development and management and lacks a

balanced distribution of funds between offline and online marketing practices.

In this context, this report explores whether in some sense, Greek tourism has

already gone too far according to its performance over the last year and a half.

Experts within Toposophy believe, however, that this kind of question is intrinsi-

cally flawed. The ups and downs of Greek tourism are not necessarily a spec-

tacular phenomenon considering the uncertainty surrounding the evolution of

tourism destinations worldwide under the shadow of changing political and eco-

nomic conditions.

A more important matter is how Greek tourism can improve the capacity to adapt

to contemporary trends and quality standards, Hence, this report is focused on

scrutinising the underlying dynamics of the comeback of Greek tourism along

with other achievements that Greek tourism can celebrate in the future, on the

condition that a strategic element will become more explicit in policy prepara-

tion, implementation and evaluation.

ManoLis Psarros

managing director

2

FAcTS AND FIguReS

- Thriving is the sequel to staying alive

- A pillar of the greek economy

- greece in the competitive arena

- How can it be the beginning of a new era for greek tourism?

THe LATeNT QuALITIeS

OF gReek TOuRISM- connecting the numerous dots

- ‘A guest never forgets the host who had treated him kindly’

- A land of experiences

- To develop (and how to develop) or not to develop tourism?

- Minding the marketing gap between the public and the private sector

gReek TOuRISM

& gLObAL TReNDS TO TAke ON bOARD- Market groups and consumption Trends

- Issues of Integrated Destination Management

- The evolving Nature of the Tourist experience

SeveN STePS

TO bOOSTINg gReek TOuRISM- consolidate a strategic approach to tourism development

- Make progress with massive legal reforms

- upgrade Infrastructure and Promote environmental Protection

- bridge the digital divide

- Shape tourism product differentiation

- be smart and embrace change at the local level

- Invest in Human capital

ChaPTer 1

ChaPTer 2

ChaPTer 3

ChaPTer 4

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7

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ConTenT

FACTS AND

FIGURES

This report is informed by the favourable position which the tour-

ism sector enjoys in Greek society both as a key stimulus of the na-

tional economy and a major area of local politics. On these grounds,

understanding the present and future of Greek tourism is the out-

come of:

• Summingupthefactsandfiguresofrecentgrowth(1st

Chapter)

• Sheddinglightonthemesandissuesthatwillshapethe

evolutionofthesectorinfollowingyears(2ndChapter)

• Askingwhatanationalresponseshouldbetotheemergenceof

contemporarytrendsatthegloballevel(3rdChapter)

• Discussingtheneedforactionsbythepublicandprivate

sectoratallstagesoftourismplanningthatwillequipthe

operatingenvironmentofGreektourismwithacompetitive

edge(4thChapter)

ChaPTer 1 | FAcTs And FiGures

5

Crete, Corfu, Rhodes

and Zante are the

most popular

Greek islands

Enjoy luxury

and spectacular

at the volcanic island

of Santorini

AssociATion oF BriTisH TrAveL AGenTs (travel trends report 2014)

uK VisiTors reTurn To GreeCe


The revival of Greek tourism has coincided with the

gradual fading of problematic references to the sta-

tus and transformation of the socio-political environ-

ment, as the country’s finances began to gain impe-

tus. By the end of 2013, the tourism sector effectively

reflected Greece’s die-hard approach to recovery. Al-

though domestic tourism performed well below the

average as a consequence of the shrinking buying

power of Greek citizens, trends of impressive growth

in inbound tourism placed the country as one of the

best performing destinations worldwide in 2013. it

consolidated its position in the mediterranean mar-

ket, and drew international attention in the midst of

the crisis.

THrivinG is THe sequeL To sTAYinG ALive

Luxury

accommodation

options have

sprung up recently

Truly relax

and recharge

your batteries

in the Sporades Islands

New offers off the beaten

track along with boutique

options give a taste

of authentic Greece.

Check the green

and thickly wooded

islands of Thassos

and Ikaria

Greece is

once again very firmly

on the tourist map

and is also much

more affordable.

6

Anewrecordfigureofapproximately18

millioninternationaltouristarrivalsalong

withanenhancedpatternofseasonality

Anotherrecordfigureofmorethan

12billioninternationaltourism

receiptsincludingcruisepassengers

Anotableincreaseoftourists

arrivingtoGreecebycrossing

thecountry’snorthern

andnorth-easternborders

Greeceisthethirdmostpopular

cruisedestinationinEurope


7


Are-confirmationofpositiveeffects

duetotheliftingofrestrictions

(Cabotage)forcruisevesselstoembark

anddisembarkpassengersatGreekports

Ahighlyconcentrated

allocationoftourismtraffic

Slightdecreasesoftheaveragelengthof

stayandtheaveragespendoneachtrip

partiallyduetotheincreasingproportion

ofcruisepassengersamonginternational

tourists-Areliefbecauseofthetimid

come-backofdomestictourism

Aconsensus

onthedrivingforce

oftheRussianmarket

8


An expected return of the usual suspects

of inbound tourism

A re-appreciation of the spending power

of long-haul markets

9

An enthusiasm about the dynamics of

emerging markets from both within

and outside the european union:


10


A rather high rate of growth for international tourist arrivals

at the kalamata Airport, although Greek islands

were also effective in terms of increasing

their traffic among peripheral destinations.

11

evidence of the growing appeal of Thessaloniki

as Greece’s second urban destination to markets

from eastern europe and north-eastern mediterranean.


signs of a reappearance of Athens in the map

of european city tourism mainly due to the annual performance

of long-haul and emerging markets at the Athens international Airport.

12

Latest data as well as the attention of international media including articles by the irish independent1, The

FvW media Group2, the Huffington Post3, the die Zeit4, and The Guardian5 suggests the above trends were

simply the warm-up before the country kicks off another year of success because:

The GreeK

CoMebaCK has GaineD

inTernaTionaL

MeDia aTTenTion

13


The growth of international tourist arrivals and expenditure inside greece from January to August 2014

along with visits to archaeological sites and museums from January to June 2014 has been significantly

higher than last year, though it is also observed a loss of €57 on the average spend for each trip.

Messages from traditional markets are particularly positive.

evidence from the first seven months of 2014 points out the dynamics of the uk and the uS market

while French tourists are including greece among their favourite summer holiday destinations.

It is also a fact, however,that the german market has shown so far signs of stagnation

14

concerning the spread of international tourist arrivals from January to September among

airports in greece - kalamata, Mykonos, Athens and Santorini lead the way in growth

from 2013 to 2014 with the performance of the majority of peripheral destinations

leaning toward seasonal records during out of season months.


Italy is another marker illustrating growth potential in 2014 given

the high increases of seats in scheduled flights

from the airports of Rome and Milan to greece.

15

Indications also reconfirm the status of Russian tour-

ists as the third major market of inbound tourism in

greece. However, there are notable concerns on the

short- and mid-term impact of the ukraine conflict on

the behavior of both Russian and ukrainian tourists,

which together account for 2.8 million seats in sched-

uled flights to greece in 2014. Towards the end of the

first semester, the crimean crisis had slowed down

the impressive growth observed in the first quarter of

2014 including almost double figures of Russian tour-

ist arrivals and expenditure as compared to the first

quarter of 2013. In the last few months, Russian out-

bound tourism in general did not escape unscathed

from the string of bankruptcies among Russian travel

agencies. This explains why the arrivals of Russian

tourists in greece have remained unchanged (0%

growth) in the first eight months of 2014, with their

expenditure demonstrating for a first time in recent

years signs of decline (-9%).

According to a statement of the Athens-Attica & Argo-

saronic Hotel Association at the end of last Septem-

ber, from January to August of 2014 the occupancy

rates in the wider area of Athens grew by 22.3% com-

pared to the same period in 2013 to reach the level

of 72.1%, while the average rate for a double room

climbed almost 5 euros to 85.70 euros and the aver-

age revenue per available room increased 28.3% to

reach 61.80 euros.


16

aThens aLonG wiTh

naxos, MiLos, sanTorini, KefaLonia

anD Paros aMonG TriPaDVisor’s

ToP DesTinaTions in 2014

TripAdvisor included Athens among its Top 25 tourism destinations in europe as well as Naxos, Milos,

Santorini, kefalonia and Paros among its Top 10 Islands in europe for 2014. Athens also captured

the 36th position in the Trivago Top 100 Destination Ranking, which is based

on customer reviews of hotel services, climbing 14 positions compared to 2013.

Sources: Bank of Greece, Hellenic Statistical Authority, European Cruise Council, Hellenic Ports Association, Association of Greek Tour-

ism Enterprises, Athens International Airport, Attica-Athens & Argosaronic Hotels Association, Thessaloniki Hotels Association


The restructured network of flights of Aegean Airlines and the growing penetration of major

players such as Ryanair, easyJet, Air berlin, SAS, and british Airways into the greek market

are expected to shape growth potential throughout 2014 and 2015.

There are strong links to suggest that the presence

of low-cost carriers in Greece has stimulated the

growth potential of domestic tourism in the midst

of economic crisis as well as affecting the pricing

of hospitality and other services. On the one hand,

industry groups seem to foresee the gradual re-

covery of domestic tourism insofar as unpredict-

able events will not question political stability. On

the other hand, both hotel associations and me-

ta-search engines such as Trivago have lately re-

ported the provision of cheap hotel rates as a key

advantage of Greek destinations against their Med-

iterranean competitors.

17

Widespread consensus on the positive effects on the Greek economy and local development is the reason why

the tourism sector has always attracted positive comments by state officials despite occasional misfortunes.

Whilst the country was fighting with the consequences of austerity measures and high levels of unemployment,

travel and tourism in Greece totally contributed an annual average of 16.3% of Gross domestic Product and 18.2%

of employment from 2011 to 20136. in most cases, the particular contribution

has been proportionately higher than the contribution of travel and

tourism in competitive countries such as spain, Turkey and italy,

and only lower than respective contribution in the rather

small economies of malta and cyprus.

in this context, the Prime minister, mr. Antonis sa-

maras, recently forecasted that tourism is going to

add 16,5 billion euros and 225 thousand job positions

(30% and 29% of future GdP and employment growth)

between 2015 to 2021 as part of the government’s

development plan. To understand the importance

of this assumption, it is sufficient to consider that it is

critical that the ongoing performance of Greek tour-

ism continues in order to reassure both the govern-

ment and the country’s lenders including eurozone

countries and the international monetary Fund that

2014 will be the first year to show overall growth for

the Greek economy since the beginning of crisis.

nevertheless, a strategic analysis carried out in sum-

mer7 argued that the expected recovery in Greek

economy along with a significant impact on either

the balance of payments or employment in the short

to medium-term is unlikely to come about solely

through the contribution of tourism. concerning the

creation of new jobs, it appears that signs of restruc-

turing in the Greek tourism sector are believed to im-

ply higher productivity and thus a smaller potential

for absorbing unemployment.

A PILLAR OF THe gReek ecONOMY


The ConTribuTion

of TourisM

To The CounTry’s GDP

is ProPorTionaTeLy hiGher

ThaT in CoMPeTiTiVe

CounTries.

Sources: kapos.eu

18

in performing a current analysis of Greek tourism it is impossible to ignore the fact that the positive results of the

recent past have not occurred in a vacuum. in a period of consistent growth for global tourism from 2010 on-

wards, arrivals in european countries on the mediterranean including Turkey have gained in momentum. despite

the rather ugly acronym ‘PiGs’ being used to group some of these together, negative media exposure did not

prevent them from maintaining or expanding their market shares and taking advantage of the unrest first caused

by the events of the Arab spring and afterwards by the lack of political stability in the whole of the middle east.


gReece IN THe cOMPeTITIve AReNA

aLonG wiTh GreeCe,

The MaJoriTy of DesTinaTions

in norThern MeDiTerranean

saw GrowTh in 2013

GreeCe iTaLy TurKey

19

The Post office in the united kingdom9 has recent-

lay corroborated such concerns in the case of Greek

destinations. evidence suggests that the cost for Brit-

ish tourists to purchase a cup of coffee, a glass of

wine, and a 3-course evening meal for 2 with a bottle

of wine at a local tourist-class restaurant during their

2014 holidays in corfu and crete will be higher than in

most competitive resorts in Portugal, spain and Tur-

key, though lower than in mallorca and the majority of

italian destinations.


Public authorities and the private sector in Greece need to monitor and evaluate carefully the fact that with the

exceptions of cyprus and Albania every northern mediterranean destination experienced growth in international

tourist arrivals and industry earnings in 20138. of course another big issue for the future is whether countries and

destinations in the northern mediterranean will continue to maintain their position when, at some future time,

the transition to more democratic regimes helps egypt and others to bounce back, regain their attractive images

and adopt a more competitive pricing policy.

20

HOw cAN IT be THe begINNINg OF A New eRA

FOR gReek TOuRISM?


The presentation of facts and figures has illustrated

the current potential for tourism to strengthen its

position as a reliable driver of economic growth in

Greece due to the exposure of Greek destinations

to emerging markets and the growing awareness

inside the country of the sector’s importance for

economic growth. That is well and good if it is what

it takes for Greek economy to recover in the short-

term. However, there is also much evidence to argue

that a systematic approach to tourism development

is required to ensure the involvement of stakeholder

groups will deliver sustained benefits in subsequent

years. This debate transcends the scope of how the

tourism sector has undergone a prolonged period of

financial pressures because of structural problems

such as Greece’s crippling debt, the lack of credit,

and macro-economic imbalances.

Taking on this systematic approach involves tack-

ling issues which are related both to the year-on-

year downward trend that Greece has experienced

in the «country Brand index» of Future Brand and to

the loss of three positions in the «Travel and Tour-

ism competitiveness index» of the World economic

Forum. in the latter case, the resilience Greece has

shown in terms of remaining within the top 25 desti-

nations in the world in airport infrastructure and cul-

tural heritage covers areas in which the continual de-

livery of service excellence must be a priority.

The penetration of tourism into various sectors of

the Greek economy is indicative of its capacity to

boost the country’s business environment. in June

2014, Greece ranked 26th among the 28 eu mem-

ber states10 but the ongoing growth of inbound tour-

ism coincided in the beginning of september with

the country’s achievement to climb ten places in the

Global competitiveness index11.

airPorT

infrasTruCTure

anD CuLTuraL heriTaGe

shouLD be PrioriTies

for The aChieVeMenT

of serViCe

exCeLLenCe

21

on these grounds, the next chapter focuses more

on why Greek destinations are lacking a competi-

tive edge and what initiatives are necessary to en-

able the tourism sector improve its appeal to both

traditional and emerging markets, embrace institu-

tional modernisation, attract investment funds and

put forward innovative practices with the prospect

of enhancing the quality of hospitality and other ser-

vices.


it is equally important to bear in mind that tourism development cannot be a panacea for economic develop-

ment in Greece, and that other sectors must also pull their weight. The long-running debate on the creation of

bachelor degree programmes in Greek universities as well as the uncertainty that has followed the abolition of

the organisation of Tourism education and Training is an example of this. e-commerce is another proper exam-

ple, with e-tourism still being in its infancy in Greece despite the tourism sector’s significance for the national

economy. There is evidence that the low percentage of households with internet access is well below the eu

average affecting the national demand for to e-commerce services. nevertheless, there may be a bright future

for the market of e-tourism in Greece and its potential contribution to GdP and employment growth, provided

that consumer concerns over the safety of online transactions are addressed and accommodated properly12.

TourisM

DeVeLoPMenT CannoT

be a PanaCea for eConoMiC

DeVeLoPMenT

22

THELATENT

QUALITIESOF GREEk TOURISM

Though much analysis suggests that economic issues tend to dominate

the agenda of tourism development at the initial stages, short-sighted-

ness can also occasionally be the reason for missing opportunities to

generate both revenues and social gains in the long-term. As a mosaic of

attractive sites and hospitable people, Greece has written its own history

of tourism in the last five decades that has included triumphs and defeats.

When asked if the country has already showed off the best of what it

really has to offer, however, experts in Toposophy answer in the nega-

tive. Hence, this section raises several points of interest and discusses

the various ways in which people inside and outside the sector need to

engage in institutional and managerial innovation in order to set in motion

the latent qualities of Greek tourism and see the benefits for both tourists

and themselves.

ChaPTer 2 | THe LATenT quALiTies oF Greek Tourism

24

• TheimprovementoflinksbetweenGreeceandkeylocalitiesfrombothtraditionalandemergingmarkets.

• Theprospectofanappropriatebalancebetweenseaandairtransportation.

• Thecapacityofavailableinfrastructuretomanageeffectivelythegrowingflowsoftourists.

• Themeasuresrequiredtofacilitatetheflowsofcruisepassengersandprovidethemwithamemorable

experience while touring in Greece.

cONNecTINgTHe NuMeROuS DOTS


connectivity has always been a major issue in the agenda of Greek tourism due to the spatial arrangement of

resorts along the country’s coastal and insular areas, and the recent boost of inbound tourism has brought back

to the surface a series of concerns from the destination’s perspective. indeed, the ongoing debates revolve

around issues such as:

25

First, optimism is reasonable because new and returning airline carriers ask for access to Greece’s airports. To a

certain extent, that is a repercussion of the acquisition of olympic Air by Aegean Airlines in late 2013. While the

latter has restructured since the beginning of 2014 the network of flights through 8 bases in Greece and 47 desti-

nations mainly in european, mediterranean and middle east markets, big names of scheduled flights have either

extended their itineraries throughout Greece (e.g. British Airways, Lufthansa and sAs Airlines) or reappeared at

the Athens international Airport (e.g. delta Airlines, etihad Airways, and singapore Airlines), contributing also to

the re-establishment of connections with long-haul markets.

in the meantime, there has also been an impressive penetration of low-cost carriers, which are estimated to con-

nect Athens with 35 destinations in summer 2014 as opposed to 25 destinations in summer 2013 (40% growth).

under the leadership of ryanair, Air Berlin, and easyJet, low-cost carriers are also expected to lower the depend-

ency of insular destinations on charter flights in high season.

The second area of debate focuses on the current state

of the ferry industry. The recent revival of Greek tour-

ism has only contributed to stabilising passenger traffic

in 2013. That is anything but a satisfactory record given

that from to 2010 to 2013 passengers in ferry traffic de-

creased by more than 20%, a clear repercussion of pres-

sures identified in domestic tourism. Besides the factor

of scheduled airlines, market share competition may in-

crease in the near future according to rough estimates

that 120 water airports will be operating in Greece by

the end of 2015, adding seaplanes as another means of

travel among domestic destinations of all kinds.

new anD reTurninG airLine

Carriers asK for aCCess

To GreeCe’s airPorTs


26

Third, it is important to keep in mind that the more tourists decide to visit Greece the more the capacity of avail-

able infrastructure is going to be tested. in calculating that the tourism traffic in Greece in 2014 will reach its peak

on 2nd August through the arrival of 760 international flights including 149,000 seats, the Association of Greek

Tourism enterprises is only touching the tip of the iceberg13. This issue applies both to air and sea transportation.

The higher demand for flight slots this year resembles similar challenges to those faced by many ports of differ-

ent scales, which have recently attracted the attention of international cruise lines and their vessels.


airPorT anD

PorT infrasTruCTure

iMProVeMenT is a MaJor

issue for GreeK

TourisM

27

A gueST NeveR FORgeTS THe HOST

wHO HAD TReATeD HIM kINDLY (HOMeR, ODYSSeY)


Although people in Greece have every reason to be proud of Xenios Zeus (the ancient Greek God of hospitality)

and Homer’s references to themes of hospitality, the analysis and implementation of the concept of ‘Philoxenia’

must be consistent with the standards of each era. experts within Toposophy have little doubt that adaptability

is a more inclusive term for destinations with high goals because:

Jupiter and mercurius in the House of Philemon and Baucis (1630–33) by the workshop of rubens

• Itcapturestheveryessenceof‘Philoxenia’asamatteroftakingcareofallthenecessitiesforapleasantstay.

• Itincorporatesthevariouswaysinwhichtourismstakeholdersneedtobebothcreativeandeffectiveinorder

to approach potential visitors and enhance their experience both before and after the actual trip.

28

in the first case, experience from Greece shows how

issues such as the working hours of cultural attrac-

tions and the trend of ‘open sundays’ transcend the

scope of specific interests or political disputes in-

side the country. As integral elements of the tourist

experience, managing those issues requires signifi-

cant effort by different stakeholders in understanding

the needs of visitors and meeting their expectations

through innovative practices and mutual compromis-

es that will lead to mutual benefits.

Pricing is another tricky area in this sense. it shows

how short-sightedness in tourism derives from the

unwillingness of tourism stakeholders to consider

the merits of maintaining prices at a competitive level

during events of international fame, aiming at improv-

ing the image of both individual businesses and the

destination through positive media coverage as op-

posed to maximising revenues only in the short-term.

in the second case, experience from Greece also sug-

gests there is plenty of catching up to do with the con-

temporary practices of destination marketing. on the

one hand, destinations face the challenge of extend-

ing and capturing the attention of their B2B contacts.

The aim should be to target specific segments of the

international tourism market and encourage tourism

professionals worldwide to discover business opportu-

nities at each locality. For instance, the Travel Trade Ath-

ens event, organised by the Athens development and

destination management company in 2013 and 2014,

provided a great insight into how a variety of activities

can be combined with the organisation of business ap-

pointments and promote in a thematic and integrated

manner both well-known and less familiar aspects of a

destination.

on the other hand, destinations need to understand the power of word of mouth boosted through social media. The

region of Peloponnese is one example of authorities at the highest level of non-government administration which

extended their digital presence as tourism destinations. under the slogan “MythicalPeloponnese”, the region imple-

mented an internet campaign of its tourism products and destinations but also paid special attention to the mainte-

nance and update of social media accounts in Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. crucially, the most encouraging sign

is that there are plans for the continuation of the project in the programming period 2014-2020.


29

A LANDOF exPeRIeNceS

Along with efforts to enhance destination adaptability to contemporary trends and match market targets with

adequate B2B and B2c marketing strategies, tourism stakeholders are recommended to embrace the introduc-

tion and diffusion of new ideas now that the sovereign debt crisis seems to be de-escalating. To redefine certain

aspects of destination identity, it is valuable to see the country’s return to economic stability through the lens of

a fresh approach to the integrated management and promotion of Greece’s beauties and attractions. There are

two key points which make tourism rebranding in the case of Greece worth in considering:

• thedecreasingsharesoftravellerswhovisitedthecountryinrecentyearsandspenttheirmoneyfor

business reasons.

• Thebehaviouralnormsofnewgenerationsoftravellerswithinformationandcommunicationtechnologies

being embedded in everyday life.

The inTroDuCTion anD Diffusion

of new iDeas is neCessary now

ThaT The soVereiGn DebT Crisis

seeMs To be De-esCaLaTinG


30

The first point corroborates more or less the assumption that whereas it takes time to build something strong,

it takes a few moments to see it being dismantled as well as a lot of effort to rebuild it. Data provided by the

International Congress and Convention Association14 demonstrates that what had been achieved in the do-

mestic market from the Olympic Games of 2004 onwards, started to fall apart when the crisis began. Greece

and Athens attracted 55 and 35 fewer international meetings in 2012 than in 2008; a direct repercussion of

challenges associated with the escalation of the economic crisis from the end of 2008 to 2010 when consider-

ing that international associations start making plans about their conferences a few years before the actual

dates of the venue.

At the same time, this tough period has many interesting lessons for those who wish to come up with ideas

and initiatives that will capitalize on Greece’s positive media coverage in recent months. Particularly for public

authorities, much of this knowledge derives from the targeted marketing efforts of the Athens Convention

and Visitors Bureau under the Athens Development and Destination Management Agency, which managed to

maintain a series of influential contacts in the international market of business tourism and eventually contrib-

uted to the organisation of major events such as the XXIII World Congress of Philosophy in August 2013.


shares of Tourism receipts per Purpose of visit (source: Bank of Greece)

Parthenon temple on the Athenian Acropolis, Greece

31

The second point derives from an

assessment of approaches related

to the development of alternative

forms of tourism such as cultural

tourism, rural tourism, urban tour-

ism, gastronomical tourism, etc. in

the 1990s, mediterranean destina-

tions welcomed alternative forms

of tourism as a slogan, which in-

corporated both the burgeoning

debate of sustainable tourism and

growing concerns over the im-

pact of mass tourism on the envi-

ronment and local communities.

nowadays, however, another big

debate is whether this slogan has

evolved and become something

tangible or if it has actually ques-

tioned the domination of mass

tourism all over the mediterranean.

despite certain exceptions to the

rule including the rise of urban ar-

eas as city-break destinations, the

Greek experience has shown how

good ideas often tend not to live

up to the hype. often, the problem

is the absence of systematic and

consistent efforts to design and

implement a development frame-

work together with proper quality

standards, sufficient investments,

and adequate marketing strate-

gies.

Any further reference to the po-

tential of upgrading maritime tour-

ism in Greece carries the risk of

ignoring the lack of progress on

the construction of contemporary

marinas compared to develop-

ments in competitor countries

such as Turkey and croatia. Like-

wise, concerns arise in the case

of medical tourism, which is often

introduced as a fresh element that

remains undervalued due to gov-

ernment inertia, although the ways

in which medical centres offering

specialized health services could

be combined with other activities

and infrastructure in order to cre-

ate clusters for the development

of medical tourism in specific areas

have been largely underexplored.

a re-assessMenT of aPProaChes reLaTeD To The DeVeLoPMenT

of aLTernaTiVe forMs of TourisM is aLso neCessary


32

The worLD of TourisM

DeVeLoPMenT is,

by DefiniTion,

one of TraDe-offs

TO DeveLOP (AND HOw TO DeveLOP)

OR NOT TO DeveLOP TOuRISM?


Paraphrasing the classic shakespearean dilemma is one way to illustrate that finding a perfect balance between

aspirations for economic benefits and concerns about environmental and social issues has rarely been an op-

tion for tourism planners. Another way is to explore if the world of tourism development is, by definition, one of

trade-offs.

That is a world where consensus building is a challenging and possibly controversial process, which requires

both valid estimates of future impacts and commitment to monitoring the actual results of tourism development.

in the case of Greece such an investigation is more than useful in the current climate, because the government

is just as eager to witness more investments inside the country as environmental organisations and local com-

munities are sceptical of their long-term effects.

33

According to several examples, a first key point for tourism planning is that decision-making requires constant

learning from Greece’s recent past along with international experience:

• Thecountrycannotunderestimateresearchfindingsabouttheeffectsofclimatechangeonthetourism

sector as presented in recent studies by the Bank of Greece15 and the university of cambridge16. Among

regions, estimates indicate that the european part of the mediterranean is to be one of the most affected by

climate change conditions in the years to come. That is a factor to take seriously in tourism planning, at least

from now on, because increasing temperatures are likely to trigger additional phenomena such as frequent

heat waves and droughts, wildfires, water stress and the loss of biodiversity.

• Morethanthreedecadesofexperienceinthemanagementofstructuralfundsandtheprovisionofin-

vestment incentives are important to guide future policy making. in the programming period 2014-2020,

the challenge lies in deciding what is deemed an appropriate balance of resources required for large scale

investments and small and medium enterprises in different areas.

• Althoughtheenhancementandenrichmentofthetraditionalmodelof‘sunandsea’tourismthrough‘spe-

cial forms’ of tourism is among policy objectives in the programming period 2014-2020, the development of

conference, medical, cultural, maritime and city tourism under the label ‘alternative forms’ was encouraged

in the past as a strategy to counterbalance the blueprint of mass tourism in Greece. The current expres-

sion demonstrates a better understanding of the dynamics of the ‘sun and sea’ model, but it is a matter of

continuing investigation whether the development of these forms of tourism will be supported by adequate

marketing strategies, necessary changes in legislation, and greater attention to designing and selling pack-

ages of thematic experiences.

The euroPean ParT

of The MeDiTerranean

is To be one of The MosT

affeCTeD by CLiMaTe ChanGe


34

other examples clarify why consistency is a second key point for tourism planning in relation to investment

growth and sustainable development. in recent years, major reforms were introduced as part of the govern-

ment‘s aspiration to reduce bureaucracy, lift institutional obstacles and restrictions, improve the business envi-

ronment for investments, and meet the respective guidelines of international agencies such as the organisation

for economic cooperation and development17 . one example in the case of tourism is regulations for the pri-

vatisation of properties owned by the Hellenic republic Asset development Fund including the hotel complex

of Astir vouliagmenis, the old Airport of Hellinikon, and many other land sites and buildings all over Greece. A

second example is the extension of conditions and cases for the establishment of integrated Tourism develop-

ment Areas along with the simplification of procedures for the operation of hotels (known in Greece as complex

Tourist Accommodations) including infrastructure for specialised forms of tourism.

• Theyhaverevivedtheinterestofdomesticandinternationalhedgefunds,whichhavealreadymade

progress with various projects in areas such as crete, chalkidiki, and the ionian islands.

• TheyhavetransformedtheinstitutionalframeworkoftourismdevelopmentinGreece,whichisalso

witnessing the progress of additional private initiatives on a medium and large scale (e.g. increasing

number of owners who obtain licenses from the national Tourism organisation in order to rent their

properties and villas for holiday purposes, the creation of the stavros niarchos Foundation cultural

centre at the position of the old hippodrome of Athens, etc.).

it is important that the contribution of these and other measures should be appreciated because:


MaJor

GoVernMenT

reforMs haVe aTTraCTeD

The inTeresT

of inVesTors

35

However, consistency mainly varies according to the horizon for implementation in tourism policy. From a busi-

ness perspective, preserving stability in the tax system is a key priority which is still pending in Greece. Another

issue is how often there are changes in trade-offs between economic development and environmental protec-

tion in considering differences between the first edition of the special Framework for Land-use Planning and

sustainable development of Tourism (Joint ministerial decision 24208/2009) and the recently updated version

(Jmd 67659/2013).

it is unsurprising that some investors are left perplexed and calculating the cost of missed opportunities the

same way that local communities express their opposition when major changes are suddenly introduced in

legislation about protected sites «natura» and the seashore. Hence, the national Bank of Greece18 is explicit in

arguing that rather than facilitating investments by bypassing most of the legal and administrative obstacles it

is more important for Greece to resolve issues of land ownership by implementing a coherent national cadastre

and a pilot land exchange programme.

The above observation is critical in a wider context, because a third key point for tourism planning is innovation.

in fact, the following examples demonstrate why decision-making in tourism policy needs to take into account

the transformation of both the economy and society:

ΦΦΦFoinikodasos-vai

GreeCe has

To resoLVe issues

of LanD ownershiP


36

• Whenfocusingonthedevelopmentofbothgeo-de-

mographic and thematic markets the tourism sector in

Greece has to comprehend the changing behavioural

trends in international travel. Particularly for those who

were born in the ‘80s and ‘90s, information and com-

munication technologies are an integral aspect of their

travel and tourist experience. The Generation Y or mil-

lennials are passionate about personal autonomy and

flexibility. seeking these qualities, they make the most

of social media and mobile devices while shifting in-

stantly from business to leisure, keeping in touch with

relatives and friends, and searching for authenticity,

customised services and value for money in their pur-

chases. As a result, the rapid pace of evolution chang-

es the rules of the game with both challenges and op-

portunities for tourism destinations.

GreeCe anD The younGer GeneraTions of TraVeLLers

Given that the united nations World

Tourism organisation19 recognised

visa facilitation as a means to stim-

ulate tourism growth worldwide,

Greece is obliged to examine all the

obstacles and opportunities of the

schengen Area regulations and se-

cure an equally competitive position

among european countries which

keep an eye on prospering travellers

from emerging economies. in recent

years, there has been close coop-

eration over this subject between the

ministry of Tourism and the ministry

of Foreign Affairs. in January 2014, the

two ministers jointly announced that

the number of visas issued to rus-

sian tourists visiting Greece in 2013

increased by 51.4%; the same figure

in the cases of tourists from ukraine

and Turkey increased by 56.6% and

40.8% respectively. in the light of the

ukrainian crisis, however, Greece has

possibly to learn from the approach

of spain, whose General consulate in

russia has set in operation visa appli-

cation centres in more than 15 cities.

assessMenT of Visa PoLiCy


37

MINDINg THe MARkeTINg gAP beTweeN THe PubLIc

AND THe PRIvATe SecTOR


in the last decade, the institutional framework of tourism marketing in Greece has undergone numerous trans-

formations, often as a consequence of changes taking place at various levels of public administration. An obvi-

ous example is the involvement of the ministry of Tourism itself, which was established in 2004, then merged

with the ministry of culture in 2009, and was finally re-established as an autonomous agency in 2012. That is a

sensitive case, because every change at the top also has effects on the role and work of the national Tourism

organisation, which is now operating again under the ministry of Tourism. in a less controversial example, the

devolution reform of callicrates has broadened the scope of action in the field of tourism at the lower levels of

public administration. A few agencies have actually seized opportunities to duplicate a series of popular prac-

tices among destination management and marketing organisations at the international level.

But what seems to be a more im-

portant development as a whole

is a change of mindset in both

the public and the private sector.

evidence suggests that tourism

stakeholders have started to ex-

amine more actively the prospect

of working together in common

marketing projects. At the national

level, the private sector and par-

ticularly the Association of Greek

Tourism enterprises played in

2007 a pivotal role in pushing the

government to involve interna-

tional experts in both the prepa-

ration and implementation of

the strategic marketing plan for

Greek tourism. The products that

were identified during that pro-

cess have survived as concepts,

but the project also influenced

debates of coordination between

public administration levels and

partnership building. Pressures

and frustration caused by the

economic crisis and the under-

performance of Greek tourism

from 2009 to 2012 particularly

reinforced the debate of public-

private partnerships.

The insTiTuTionaL fraMeworK

of TourisM MarKeTinG

in GreeCe has unDerGone

nuMerous TransforMaTions

38

in 2013, Greece saw the establishment of marketing Greece as a non-profit, fully private organisation (formed

by the Association of Greek Tourism enterprises, the Hellenic chamber of Hotels, and the Hellenic Association

of Advertising-communication Agencies) aimed at supporting the marketing of Greek tourism and governed by

a council whose members are key players of the Greek tourism sector. rather than intervening in the country’s

tourism branding, which is a responsibility of the national Tourism organisation and involves the web platform

visit Greece, marketing Greece launched the web platform discover Greece with a focus on the promotion of

the country’s tourism products and experiences.

in the last two years, the emergence of this new agency coincided with the enactment of Laws 4179/2013 and

4254/2014, which expanded the ministry’s duties in the development and control framework of tourism enter-

prises and initiated the restructuring of branches of the national Tourism organisation located overseas. Along

with legislation passed in July 2014 the government seems to favour the engagement of tourism stakeholders in

Greece’s tourism promotion.


The CurrenT GoVernMenT

faVours The enGaGeMenT

of The PriVaTe seCTor

in GreeCe’s TourisM ProMoTion

39


For the first time in the country’s history, the Law 4276/2014 introduced a framework for the approval of private

sponsorships on behalf of a council under the minister of Tourism, while it also broadened the scope of joint ini-

tiatives between the national Tourism organisation, other public authorities and tourism associations.

in the meantime, the restructuring of regional and local authorities has enabled since 2011 certain organisations

to maximise benefits from the use of internal resources and funds derived from the national strategic refer-

ence Framework. The Athens convention and visitors Bureau under the Athens development and destination

management Agency is a representative case at the local level of a municipal organisation that adopts the inter-

national practices of destination management organisations including marketing campaigns, product develop-

ment, visitor information & services, travel trade events, community engagement projects and research activities.

For instance, the Athens convention and visitors Bureau in partnership with the national Tourism organisation

were responsible for the staging of TBeX europe in october 2014. This event has brought social media hype and

international fame to the capital city of Greece for a few days through the arrival of more than 800 travel bloggers

and writers, who had the opportunity to find out everything about the attractions and services of local tourism

industry, arguably bringing the city’s tourism offering to entirely new audiences as a result.

Tbex euroPe 2014

has brouGhT The TourisM

offerinG of aThens

To enTireLy new auDienCes

40

GREEk TOURISM

& GLOBAL TRENDS TO TAkE

ON BOARD

ChaPTer 3 | Greek Tourism & GLoBAL Trends To TAke on BoArd

Although the issues discussed in chapter 2 tell a lot about the prospect

of strengthening the competitiveness of the Greek tourism sector, both

public authorities and the private sector are recommended to take into

account the consequences of a series of international trends. These

trends affect elements of supply and demand in a manner which shows

their capacity to set new standards for service delivery in tourism industry.

in this chapter, Toposophy experts identify these trends and pay atten-

tion to the ways they currently shape consumer behaviour, the priorities

of policy-making on behalf of destination authorities, and perceptions of

the products and services that compose the landscape of tourist experi-

ences.

42

• Theplenitudeofchallengesandopportunities

associated with the volatility of emerging markets.

• Thenon-traditionalinterpretationofindulgency

of younger generations of travellers.

• The central role the internet plays in the daily

routine of travel habits.

The first group of ongoing trends focuses on the be-

haviour of tourists and identifies patterns of transfor-

mation under the influence of political events, grow-

ing spending patterns, changing demographics, and

the diffusion of information and communication tech-

nologies, whose analysis promotes the following les-

sons for the Greek tourism sector:

A key point is that Greek tourism stakeholders need to continuously assess different drivers of consumer behav-

iour from a micro to a macro level of analysis and identify clever ways that will help them upgrade and tailor their

products and services to meet the demands of both individuals and large groups of travellers.

GreeK TourisM sTaKehoLDers

neeD To ConTinuousLy

assess DifferenT DriVers

of ConsuMer behaViour


MARkeT gROuPS AND cONSuMPTION TReNDS

43

in eMerGinG eConoMies,

The Desire anD CaPaCiTy

To TraVeL oVerseas

Goes aLonG wiTh

The fasT rise

of The MiDDLe CLass

THe eASY cASe OF ATTRAcTINg TOuRISTS FROM

eMeRgINg ecONOMIeS: A MIDSuMMeR NIgHT’S DReAM

Although the global financial crisis of 2008 along with the eurozone crisis put the majority of developed countries

in a difficult position, european and long-haul markets of outbound tourism have contributed to the momentum

international tourism has regained since 2010. in the case of travellers from emerging economies, the big ques-

tion is not if the sources of temporary or persistent instability can have a permanent effect on the long-term

growth of international tourism, as estimated by the united nations World Tourism organisation, because the

desire and capacity to travel overseas is linked to the fast rise of the middle class in these countries. rather, the

question centres on the challenge of dealing with the ups and downs of markets from emerging economies in

the short to medium-term.

For russian outbound tourism, which is projected to

experience steady growth in the wider area of south-

ern europe in forthcoming years20, uncertainty is a key

issue to deal with in the short-run. in recent months,

the ongoing tensions in ukraine along with the depre-

ciation of the ruble against the euro and the string of

bankruptcies among russian travel agencies did not

merely show the value of being proactive rather than

reactive in crisis management. Protecting the coun-

try’s image in the case of a market which recorded in-

side Greece an average growth rate of 50% per year

throughout a difficult period from 2009 to 2013, state

authorities together with the private sector managed to

facilitate the safe return of russian tourists back home.


44

What is more interesting about recent instability in russian outbound tourism is that due to political and institu-

tional conditions the markets of emerging economies have a long road to cover before they represent a stable,

trouble-free source of visitors in comparison to Greece’s other inbound markets. As a result, destinations in

southern europe and elsewhere need to set priorities, because it is pointless to consider visitors from economic

blocs such as the Brics as a unified market with common characteristics and expectations.

Thorough market research and monitoring of economic environment in emerging economies is another priority,

as Tourism economics21 believes that the distant, yet potential threat of a china crisis would hit both the global

economy and international tourism in particular.


VisiTors

froM eConoMiC

bLoCs suCh as The briCs

shouLD noT be ConsiDereD

as a unifieD MarKeT

45

HeY bIg cHINeSe SPeNDeR!


chinese outbound tourism epitomises the value of building and sustaining a solid relationship with markets from

emerging economies. spending a massive us$ 129 billion in 2013 chinese tourists have preserved an unques-

tionable lead in global tourism expenditure and drawn the attention of destinations around the globe, as they

comprise a vibrant mix of big shopping spenders, cultural explorers, and tech-savvy consumers.

Chinese

TourisTs CoMPrise

a VibranT Mix of biG shoPPinG

sPenDers, CuLTuraL exPLorers,

anD TeCh-saVVy

ConsuMers.

46

international experience shows that shopping is

an attraction in itself for chinese tourists, who not

only cherish products purchased in another coun-

try as symbols of their travel experience but also

often enjoy lower prices and greater assurances on

product quality compared to back home22. quartz23

underlined in February 2014 the positive effect of

chinese tourist spending to the French economy

because of their pursuit of expensive purchases

and luxury designer brands. Likewise, Hotels.com24

reported in July 2014 that the mean average spend

per day of chinese tourists when travelling abroad

is nearly $us 1.090 excluding accommodation ex-

penses.

Following the relaxation of travel restrictions, coun-

tries that carry the approved destination status of

the chinese government need to be pragmatic in

their objectives and creative in their initiatives. in

europe, developing thematic routes and promot-

ing cultural resources is necessary to embrace the

passion of chinese tourists for sightseeing25. This

aim is consistent with the ongoing efforts of the

eu26 to receive proposals for transnational partner-

ship-building with the aim of increasing competi-

tiveness of the european tourism sector. schengen

countries along the mediterranean coast are thus

recommended to work together in order to design

multi-destination packages of thematic experienc-

es, undertake joint marketing initiatives, and capi-

talise on the wealth of historic heritage.

Another issue for destination management authori-

ties and the private sector is to assess the impor-

tance of the internet for chinese tourists. in August,

the results of the Hotels.com survey «disconnect

to reconnect» demonstrated that along with other

Asian holidaymakers, the chinese are among the

top five nationalities most reluctant to ditch their

mobile devices while on vacation.

The aftermath is that tourism stakeholders are obliged to ensure that both Wi-Fi access points and informative

applications are largely available at destination scale while also building communication with the chinese mar-

ket through popular social networks such as Wechat27.


Chinese TourisTs

are reLuCTanT To DiTCh

Their MobiLe DeViCes

whiLe on VaCaTion

47

THe cONSuMeRIS kINg


As we move towards the end of 2014, it is evident that millennials are just warming up in their travel quest saga.

making the most of information and communication technologies, millennials question the past and are fast

changing the world as we know it. For the tourism and hospitality industry, their self-assurance has brought with

it a storm of new consumer expectations in which successful destinations and businesses will be those which

explore and respond positively to the broad spectrum of economic, societal and environmental changes. in

forthcoming months, affluent millennials are also the market group that is most likely to engage in augmented

reality and test the devices of wearable technology.

MiLLenniaLs brinG

a sTorM of new

ConsuMer exPeCTaTions

48

TraVeLLer reView

siTes haVe quiCKLy

beCoMe The firsT sToP

for ConsuMers

For the time being, the great shift of travel products and services online has also given the consumer freedom

to search and choose, and in making that choice, it is now the opinions of friends, relatives and other consumers

that matter the most. The mass appeal of social media allows for the exchange of opinions on travel experiences

from trusted sources.

Additionally, traveller review sites have quickly become the first stop for consumers looking for an honest first-

hand opinion about their proposed destination, hotel, restaurant and more. With 280 million unique visitors per

month in 2013, TripAdvisor is the world’s largest travel review site and owner of an array of travel media brands

offering specialist reviews on cruises, family holidays and airline services among others.

For the millennial generation in particular, social

media has become the key resource for news, gos-

sip, inspiration and advice for matters as diverse as

holidays, consumer goods, music, fashion, politics

or relationships. The internet and social media have

encouraged this generation to share their opinions

freely, fuelling the popularity of review sites such as

TripAdvisor, among others.

For the millennial generation in particular, social

media has become the key resource for news, gos-

sip, inspiration and advice for matters as diverse as

holidays, consumer goods, music, fashion, politics

or relationships. The internet and social media have

encouraged this generation to share their opinions

freely, fuelling the popularity of review sites such as

TripAdvisor, among others.

The result of this for destinations such as Greece is

that the traditional one-way flow of information from

the supplier to the customer is rapidly going out of

date. instead, the rapid spread of social networks has

given rise to the direct customer-supplier ‘conversa-

tion’, bypassing the traditional media sources such as

Tv, magazines, newspaper adverts or even a compa-

ny’s own web pages. social media and travel review

sites have given consumers the role of both brand

ambassadors and consumer activists, allowing users

to recommend their best experiences and denounce

their worst in real-time.


49

THe SILeNT TRAveLLeR

mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones are rapidly becoming the principal device through which peo-

ple manage their lives online. For young, independent travellers, the smartphone or tablet is the first port of call

to resolve the types of challenges that customer service staff used to deal with. skift has labelled this kind of

traveller the ‘silent traveller’28 in light of his or her self-reliance and low levels of interaction with staff.

Globally, it has been observed that travellers have been slow to move from information gathering (done on

smartphone or tablet) to booking with the same device, particularly for big-ticket items such as flights or ac-

commodation. According to iPk international29, mobile bookings remain at only 2% of overall bookings globally,

however there is evidence to suggest that this is changing rapidly. nevertheless, smartphones and tablets are

siLenT TraVeLLers

haVe seLf-reLianCe

anD Low LeVeLs

of inTeraCTion wiTh sTaff


50

consolidating their position at all the other stages of the customer journey; for becoming inspired, for research-

ing, for experiencing, sharing and reflecting on journeys made – all through social media. The real-time conver-

sation between customers, their online community and brands is having profound consequences for providers

throughout the tourism value chain; those who fail to innovate and keep up with these trends may rapidly be-

come obsolete.

Against this backdrop, it is especially important

to consider that younger travellers from the main

emerging outbound markets (as identified above),

have never accessed internet through a Pc, instead

using smartphones as the first and only tool with

which they are familiar, to manage their professional

and personal lives30.

Given the integral position of the smartphone as the

key tool of interaction for researching, planning, book-

ing and recording travel experiences, it is absolutely

vital for Greek tourism businesses and destinations

to have at the most basic level a presence online and

in all the major social networks for their particular tar-

get markets. Having a strategy for mobile marketing

and customer engagement is also essential, since so

many consumers are skipping the desktop and mov-

ing straight to using hand-held devices.


Many

ConsuMers

are sKiPPinG The DesKToP

anD MoVinG sTraiGhT

To usinG hanD-heLD

DeViCes

51

• Innovativeideasaimedatenhancingtheurbanenvironmentthroughonlineapplicationsarenotneces-

sarily intended to be a substitute for the main body of infrastructure and city services

• Theincreasinglyblurredboundarybetweenresidential,business,leisureandtouristusesateachplace

• Theactiveparticipationoftouriststothetransformationofurbanspace

TourisM

is an inTeGraL eLeMenT

of urban sPaCe


The second group of ongoing trends defines a range of topics that often surpass the competence of destina-

tion management organisations (dmos), which are already under pressure in terms of operating with reduced

budgets and justifying the institutional space they occupy.

To the extent that the future of dmos will be determined by their capacity to ensure in an effective and efficient

manner the smooth integration of different types of tourist activity into the economic and social fabric of cities

and resorts, the analysis of these trends incorporates the following lessons for the Greek tourism sector:

ISSueS OF INTegRATeD DeSTINATION MANAgeMeNT

52

wIReDeSTINATIONS OR weIRDeSTINATIONS?

THe bLeSSINg OR cuRSe OF beINg SMART


one way to assess the impact of the visitor economy is to examine how the tourism sector has triggered and

benefited from contemporary technology and design while adding clarity, simplicity, adjustability and flexibility

to the seams and structures of the various urban systems.

The contribution of tourism to the intelligence of cities emerges through the interplay of requests for sophisti-

cated products and services and the introduction of respective solutions. The World economic Forum31 has re-

ported that both familiar and more futuristic approaches are adopted by world cities to reduce traffic congestion

and trade barriers as well as to enhance different functions that shape the experience of travellers and tourists.

The World economic Forum particularly refers to advanced systems of electronic visas and smart airports, the

development of which is expected to facilitate the majority of arrival and departure processes including luggage

scanning and the assessment of risk profiles, despite security concerns currently involved. equally important

is the value added by smart technologies to the dissemination of knowledge about european cultural heritage

along with the preservation of monuments and attractions.

national Park, Athens

eLeCTroniC Visas anD

sMarT airPorTs are exPeCTeD

To faCiLiTaTe The MaJoriTy

of arriVaL anD DeParTure ProCesses

53

However, the question to ask is whether technology and smart design is capable of providing all solutions re-

quired. it has been said that key demographic groups such as millennials are also often critical of the lack of

adequate public infrastructure such as public transit and pavements32. in a time of austerity, transportation and

pedestrian infrastructure is only one indication that the allocation of scarce resources is not yet to be disjointed

from a series of urban community priorities. The future will show the capacity of dmos to draw a reasonable bal-

ance between offline and online intelligence, because the highly mobile and tech-savvy generations of travellers

today have both the knowledge and confidence to question the digitally appealing identity of smart cities in the

absence of fundamental infrastructure and urban services.


MiLLenniaLs

are aLso of Ten

CriTiCaL of The LaCK

of aDequaTe PubLiC

infrasTruCTure suCh as

PubLiC TransiT

anD PaVeMenTs

54

A bIg QueSTION FOR DMOS: wHAT TO DO AbOuT

THe SHARINg ecONOMY?

The recent growth of the sharing economy in the

us and europe has added another layer of diffi-

culty to the impact assessment of visitor economy,

which is by definition a time-consuming process in-

volving the collection and analysis of both statisti-

cal and qualitative data. This situation alludes to a

critical dilemma facing dmos nowadays concern-

ing the reception of the sharing economy in tour-

ism and hospitality. While they have many reasons

to be satisfied with and support the introduction

of consumption patterns bringing more visitors to

their cities, they are also obliged to address tour-

ism industry concerns over unfair competition and

cases of tax avoidance as well as to protect the

destination brand from the threats of potential mal-

practice.

DMos haPPy wiTh The sharinG eConoMy

buT aLso obLiGeD To PLay

Down TourisM inDusTry ConCerns


55

This critical equation lies at the heart of the dispute

over the role of regulatory frameworks and legislation,

which appear according to place-specific conditions

of an economic and cultural nature. in the case of sites

such as Airbnb offering short-term rentals, different

destinations provide different lessons. san Francisco,

Portland and Amsterdam show how the introduction

of rules as the outcome of negotiations and consensus

building can minimise reactions and possibly help the

sharing economy become a tourist attraction in itself.

on the other hand, dmos in cities such as new York

and Barcelona have recently started to shake things

up and pay attention to allegations and complaints on

behalf of tourism entrepreneurs and residents against

the sharing economy. However, there is also the ex-

ceptional case of Brazil, where the state saw the op-

eration of short-term rentals for a limited period as a

solution to urgent accommodation needs because of

the staging of the World cup. The common point in all

cases is that sooner or later dmos are realising they

have to take a stance on the ongoing expansion of the

sharing economy in tourism and hospitality.

This issue is expected to stay around for a while and draw the attention of public authorities in Greece as well.

in the particular case of Greece, the main challenge in developing regulations will be to provide employment

opportunities for a supplementary source of income to segments of the population, which have mostly suffered

since the beginning of the economic crisis, whilst at the same time, not disrupting the operation of the private

sector or creating further risks for its financial performance and the respective ratio of tax revenues for the Greek

government.


DurinG

The worLD

CuP braziL saw

shorT-TerM renTaLs

as a soLuTion To urGenT

aCCoMMoDaTion

neeDs

56

cOuNTINg TOuRISTS OR cOuNTINg cHALLeNgeS?


no matter how cities manage to integrate smart technologies and the sharing economy into the core of travel

and tourism services, officials in top destinations will not be able to avoid removing the dust from books and

studies related to concepts such as carrying capacity and levels of acceptable change. That is a rather safe pre-

diction given that both the guests of the sharing economy and the waves of travellers from emerging markets

will prioritise the same destinations, which account for the majority of international tourist arrivals, in their future

travel lists.

recent evidence suggests this debate is already alive in destinations across the mediterranean. in June, The

Guardian33 reported concerns of residents that Barcelona along with malaga and Palma de mallorca have be-

come victims of their own success. This situation is not a simply a matter of protecting a sector which creates

jobs and operates as a source of wealth. As one of the citizens points out in the article, it is more about the iden-

tification of a critical point beyond which tourism destinations are no longer places where to live in but parks of

thematic experiences where visitors want to fulfil all their dreams in a limited space of time.

ToP MeDiTerranean DesTinaTions

faCe The ChaLLenGe of beCoMinG

ViCTiMs of Their own suCCess

57

According to the Greek edition of kathimerini34, a different type of allegations has emerged in the island destina-

tions of santorini and mikonos due to the recorded growth of cruise tourism particularly since the lifting of cabo-

tage restrictions. in these islands, there is consensus among tourism stakeholders over the danger of providing

services of an inadequate quality to cruise passengers, but the upgrade of port infrastructure and the regulation

of cruise vessels traffic are issues that mostly require the active involvement of central government agencies in

Athens.

Between the options of hesitating and acting, dmos are encouraged to start making their plans sooner rather

than later. What the cases of top destinations in spain and Greece show is that the management of negative

facets of tourism development will determine faster than in other areas the sector’s economic, environmental,

and socio-cultural sustainability.


58

DMOS Seek TO cONSOLIDATe THeIR ROLe IN SecOND-TIeR cITIeS

There is an explicit difference between the priorities of tourism stakeholders in top destinations and in areas

with a modest success in international tourism in attracting visitors. in the first case, tourism stakeholders are

overwhelmed by a broad agenda of issues and challenges such as those mentioned above, which together will

determine perceptions of dmos effectiveness, although each topic often surpasses the institutional capacity of

public authorities at the local level.

in the second case, it is more urgent for tourism stakeholders to examine if the availability of limited funds is use-

ful to establish or sustain the operation of a dmo or not. The nature of this dilemma presupposes good knowl-

edge of the changing role of dmos. According to the first phase of an ongoing study by the destination market-

ing Association international35, the three most important areas of activity in dmo future business models will be

marketing/branding, meeting & convention sales, and social media & seo marketing, with product development

and leisure sales along with visitor servicing occupying lower levels of importance.

DMo fuTure business MoDeLs wiLL foCus on:

•Marketing/Branding

•Meeting & Convention SaleS

•SoCial Media & Seo Marketing


The idea that dmos will prioritise communication in

forthcoming years highlights the value of building a sol-

id brand for each and every destination. nBc news36 in

the us recently reported that dmos in Portland, Louis-

ville, Pittsburgh and milwaukee are looking to grab their

slices of the travel pie without being discouraged by the

fact their cities belong to the second tier of us desti-

nations. self-awareness of strengths and weaknesses

in competition along with thorough market knowledge

are the most important assets for these dmos. They

focus on selling exactly what their destinations have

and building a brand which resonates with consumers.

rather than competing with first-tier destinations, these

dmos see themselves and their cities as exceptional

cases of unique product offerings, which appeal to both

domestic and international tourists, while ambition to-

gether with realism underlie their marketing efforts.

realistically speaking, however, it remains to be as-

sessed how much money and time it takes before

dmos in second-tier cities around the globe develop

such a realistic stance. if Peak + skift37 are right in their

conclusion that emerging destinations are everywhere

due to the engaging power of local communities and

tourists involved in the consumption of thematic expe-

riences, dmos are recommended to reconsider their

marketing strategies and add new elements in their ef-

fort to shake up the brand of their areas.

59

• Stabilitywithoutastrategytoadddepthtotheoverallexperienceismoreofasignofstagnationrather

than faith to inherent destination qualities.

• Thestimulationofthoughtsandemotionsasakeyprocessoftheconsumptionoftourismproductsand

services, which increasingly involves opportunities for tourists to enjoy enhanced quality and become

part of the sense of a place away from home as much as possible like a local.

The last group of trends shows how well-established

perceptions of the tourism product are questioned now-

adays as a result of sweeping changes in destination

operations. These changes shape a new understand-

ing of the interaction between destinations and tourists

while occurring through the reciprocal transformation

of service providers and consumers. keeping in mind

that the management of tourist expectations in terms

of service quality and communication engagement will

determine consumer commitment to both destinations

and the individual brands of the tourism industry, there

are two key lessons for the Greek tourism sector:

THe evOLvINg NATuRe OF THe TOuRIST exPeRIeNce


60


Lcc gO cLc: LOw-cOST cARRIeRS cuT LuxuRY cOSTS

Low-cost carriers are a great example of product dif-

ferentiation in travel and tourism. value for money

and efficiency caused the emergence of low-cost

carriers in the first place. in today’s context, however,

the same keywords define the challenge of catering

the needs of budget-conscious and well-informed

generations of travellers while expanding from do-

mestic and intra-regional to extra-regional journeys.

For Amadeus and oxford economics38, low-cost car-

riers face the paradox of outgrowing their business

model and being forced to adapt because of their

own success. The price to pay is that a series of chal-

lenges associated with the operation of traditional

airlines begin to become part of the low-cost carriers’

typical development agenda. While further growth

beyond the increasingly saturated areas of short-

haul markets entails higher fixed costs in relation to

fleet and airport infrastructure, fierce competition in

short-haul business travel drives innovation in prod-

uct design and paves the way to offering enhanced

travellers treatment at a reasonable price39.

millennials and the new business class travellers

from emerging economies are expected to embrace

this strategic orientation of low-cost carriers, proving

that product differentiation and corporate flexibility

are essential skills in the international market of travel

and tourism insofar as globalization and internet ac-

cess continue working to the benefit of travellers.

61


ALL-INcLuSIve HOTeLS gO uPScALe

Widely acknowledged as a dynamic segment of the hospitality sector worldwide, all-inclusive hotels begin to

resemble the case of low-cost carries in their efforts to improve product quality and integrate more closely their

accommodation establishments with the wider area of each locality. For major destinations in the mediterranean

and the caribbean, that is a crucial debate given that the all-inclusive industry has been subject to criticism by

Tourism concern40 and the Tourism Foundation41 for providing limited benefits to local economies as well as less

favourable working conditions than other areas of the hospitality market.

The

aLL-inCLusiVe

inDusTry has reCenTLy

been subJeCT

To CriTiCisM

62


in response, all-inclusive hotels are not so sceptical nowadays about what skift42 has called ‘the rise of local in

hospitality’. The idea that a sense of local culture can pervade every aspect inside all-inclusive hotels as a stimu-

lus for further growth outside is no longer regarded as a contradiction in terms. it is unlikely that all-inclusive

hotels will ignore the sophisticated needs of an increasing percentage of tourists who seek to combine organ-

ised entertainment and favourable pricing with memorable moments that they can share through social media.

An argument provided in a recent article by Hotelnewsnow.com43 is that the growing expansion of international

chains into the all-inclusive industry will enable the renewal of customer service perceptions and local commu-

nity engagement with the potential to add value through the participation of tourists in thematic activities such

as cultural tours and special events.

The same argument also relates to the develop-

ment of brands aimed at targeting specific groups of

customers along with the provision of higher quality

food and entertainment. For ernst & Young44, major

traditional us and european lodging brands have de-

cided to step up into the all-inclusive industry with an

eye on the spending habits of millennials along with

the rising middle-class from emerging economies.

some have even launched their own custom brands

to cater specifically to this demographic. currently,

this is another case of product repositioning aimed

at untapped market niches, with transitional phases

at both ends of the travel spectrum promoting the

adoption of higher quality standards.

aLL-inCLusiVe hoTeLs

wiLL noT iGnore The soPhisTiCaTeD

neeDs of new GeneraTions

of TraVeLLers

63


cReATIve TOuRISM: THe bRIgHT SIDe

OF cuLTuRAL TOuRISM

Although talking about creativity in tourism is far from reinventing the wheel, a growing amount of work sug-

gests there is nothing more old-fashioned than the belief that tourism experiences remain anchored to the silent

observation of cultural sites and natural landscapes. currently, any argument that authenticity and uniqueness

derives from the exchange of ideas, skills and emotions, which together define the temporary invasion of visitors

into the life of host communities, essentially implies that creativity requires more than a few visits to museums or

archaeological sites along with the purchase of tasteful souvenirs.

The growing passion for self-discovery is suggested to provide fertile ground for both established and emerging

destinations to thrive.

The GrowinG Passion

of TraVeLLers for seLf-DisCoVery

ProViDes ferTiLe GrounD

for DesTinaTions To ThriVe

64

Fostering a closer and more direct interaction between local people and travellers, tourism stakeholders can

help the latter feel inspired by the places they visit and the people they meet, while pushing past preconceived

notions of different cultures, both near and far, to become more dynamic and informed citizens45. What the re-

cent study of the organisation for economic cooperation and development46 also explains is that rather than

questioning the role of cultural heritage as a vehicle for both education and recreation, creative industries add

vividness and widen the scope of cultural learning particularly for those who find themselves outside their home

community.

The prospect of building meaningful experiences lies

in the emergence of intangible cultural products and

creative content through the integration of tourism

with knowledge-based creative activities that link

producers, consumers and places by utilising tech-

nology, talent or skill.

The whole idea is not short of challenges. Before trav-

ellers seize the day in the place visited and dissemi-

nate afterwards their unique experiences to others,

their input as a vital part of the end product is impor-

tant to respond to the provision of personalised ser-

vices. However, in the same way that certain guests

can interact and enhance the end product, they can

also lower the perceived quality for others. A traveller

attempting to weave a traditional carpet in a middle

east country is a case where creativity adds value to

the destination product, but another hundred tour-

ists doing the same thing together in an organised

manner could twist the scenario and have a negative

effect on the quality of tourism experience. The only

certainty is that the thin line between personalization

and standardisation is not yet beyond tourism indus-

try preoccupations.


CreaTiVe

inDusTries aDD

ViViDness anD wiDen

The sCoPe of CuLTuraL

LearninG for

TraVeLLers

65

DOeS SuSTAINAbILITY ‘SeLL’?


A common theme in the discussion of previous trends is that the growing self-awareness and confidence of

individual travellers has contributed to capacity-building for a variety of groups of travellers, who appear more

empowered than ever to harness the brands of both their favourite destinations and service providers. This does

not necessarily have to be a straightforward process for business sustainability. The european Tourism Futures

institute47 has noted that people as citizens are in favour of sustainable practices, but as consumers the vast

majority do not want to be confronted with sustainability and the problems that relate to it.

eMPowereD TraVeLLers harness

The branDs of boTh

Their faVouriTe DesTinaTions

anD serViCe ProViDers

66

As a result, the terms green-washing and grey-washing have come to a point where they both carry equally

negative connotations. Green-washing denotes controversial practice whereby consumers begin to perceive

products or production processes more positively on the basis of misleading information about their actual

degree of sustainability. Grey-washing is a keyword for the failure of tourism industry to undertake substan-

tial investments in sustainability and engage in dialogue about the subject with customers, employees, and/or

stakeholders. Against this unnecessary dualism, an encouraging sign is that major industry groups such as Tui

have decided to speak more openly about sustainability and put forward examples of responsible credentials48.

From the perspective of customers, however, the latest report of Blue & Green Tomorrow49 suggests a variety of

questions people should ask in relation to their own behaviour (e.g. whether they contribute to water conserva-

tion or if they avoid the use of plastic bags and bottles) and the practices of the destinations they visit and the

brands they choose during their holidays or business trips. The power to disseminate viewpoints and impres-

sions based on facts is a breakthrough for both corporate and individual responsibility in tourism development.

Hence, dmos are recommended to enrich their policy agenda and play a critical role in encouraging local entre-

preneurs and residents to associate actively with visitors and help them spread the word about their areas and

the achievements they have made to drive sustainability50.


MaJor

inDusTry GrouPs

suCh as Tui sPeaK

More oPenLy abouT

susTainabiLiTy

67

SEvEN STEPS

TO BOOSTING

GREEk TOURISM

ChaPTer 4 | seven sTePs To BoosTinG Greek Tourism

According to the analysis set out in this report, Toposophy experts have

identified seven areas that the Greek tourism sector is recommended to

focus on and make important steps in order to make the current growth

truly sustainable. These areas are not intended to cover the full agenda

of ongoing priorities; rather they outline the wider framework of policy

issues which should attract the attention of all stakeholders involved in

Greek tourism in the near future.

69

• Theindirectcontributionoftourismtogrowthinspecificeconomicsectors.

• ThetraveltrendsofemergingmarketsinGreece.

• Thelevelsofsatisfactionofcurrentvisitors.

• Theunderlyingcausesandimplicationsoftherecentgrowthinthesharingeconomy.

• Thedemandcharacteristicsofall-inclusivehotels,whichrepresent14%ofthetotalsupplyofhotelbeds

and approximately 11% of hotel overnights in Greece according to recent data from the Association of

Greek Tourism enterprises, as a means to identify drivers and explain perceptions of ‘price for value’

rather than merely condemn the phenomenon as a whole.

• ThereturnoninvestmentoffundsinadvertisingcampaignsandB2Bmarketingpracticesincluding

travel trade events, networking with travel bloggers, and fam trips.

cONSOLIDATe A STRATegIc APPROAcH

TO TOuRISM DeveLOPMeNT

The direct incorporation of strategic objectives in tourism planning in Greece is an urgent priority at both the

national and regional-local level. The development of a long-term national strategy is just as important as the

inclusion of its objectives inside sustainable tourism master plans that will be introduced by the empowered

regional administrations and major municipalities such as the cities of Athens and Thessaloniki.

However, beforehand a great deal of research is required to shed light on various issues such as:


70

under the leadership of the ministry of Tourism, the

result would be the provision of explicit recommen-

dations to individual destinations and authorities for

various issues, as is the case with the efforts of re-

gional airports to re-structure or expand flight con-

nections to cities in europe and elsewhere.

This demonstrates that the positive coincidence of

2013 and 2014 should not be blown out of proportion.

rather, it should be monitored and assessed in the

wider context of corporate strategies such as:

if the above analysis is not performed, the Greek

governmental authorities and other stakeholders will

face significant challenges in deciding what the most

appropriate course of action is to help Greece:

• ThecontinuingexpansionofRyanair’snetwork

from the west to the east of the mediterranean.

• The ambition of airlines based in theMiddle

east and southeast Asia to cope with regional

competition. This is particularly important in

light of the growing presence of Turkish Airlines,

which is responsible for the rise of istanbul as an

eastern mediterranean hub.

• Secure an advantageous allocationof flights

between scheduled and charter airlines as well

as between top and second-tier destinations in-

side Greece.

• Developmoreflightconnectionswithemerg-

ing markets such as russia and china.

• Enhancethecompetitivepositionof theAth-

ens international Airport.


71


MAke PROgReSS wITH MASSIve LegAL ReFORMS

Tidying up and coding tourism legislation is equally important when re-considering the scope of certain regula-

tions or introducing new ones, which is why the government should evaluate at this juncture certain priorities

among possible actions in terms of:

• AssessingobstaclesandopportunitiesassociatedwiththeSchengenArearegulationsandthepotential

to facilitate visa procedures in order to boost tourist arrivals from emerging markets.

• Eliminatingunnecessarychargesonferryticketsaimedatimprovingthecompetitiveedgeoftheferry

industry along with customer perceptions of price and value.

• DevelopingabetterunderstandingofthesituationwithCommissionRegulationNo651/2014

concerning the status of incentives for large scale investments in some areas with the highest levels of

tourism development in Greece (e.g. crete, south Aegean, the ionian islands, and Attica).

• Buildingaproactivestanceratherthanrunningbehindnewtrendsinbusinessmodelsandconsumption

through the regulation of sharing economy practices in the field of tourism.

• Reviewingcurrentlaws,withtheaimofcreatingaconsistentandstabletaxationsystem.

• Evaluatingexistingmeasuresandpenaltiesaimedatstrengtheningthestate’sresponsetopara-tourism

and those service providers (e.g. owners of illegal lodges, unofficial tourist guides) which opt to ignore

the statutory requirements or not to pay applicable taxes.

72

uPgRADe INFRASTRucTuRe AND PROMOTe

eNvIRONMeNTAL PROTecTION

Both the public and the private sector would agree

that in navigating the road map of tourism develop-

ment both need to be proactive in protecting natu-

ral and built assets in top destinations while working

for a better future in undeveloped areas. As such,

planning for both public and private investments in

various forms of infrastructure is related to a broad

agenda that also includes the following topics:

ΦΦΦ new opera Athens

• ThesimplificationofrequirementsonbehalfoftheHellenicRepublicAssetDevelopmentFundforthe

privatisation of more than ten regional airports all over the country.

• Theprovisionofhighqualityon-siteservicesandtourstocruisepassengers.

• Themanagementandfasttransferoflargeamountsofdatathroughthesmartusageofinformationand

communication technologies.

• Theestablishmentofgoodpracticesongreengrowthpoliciesthatwillincreaseresistancetotheforth

coming effects of climate change.


73

• Aprofoundimpactuponcultureandlifestyleaswellasupontheinteractivenatureoftourist

experience, whose time horizon extends nowadays long before the arrival of visitors and long after their

departure.

• Adramaticeffectontheriseofonlinereputationmanagement,withbusinessesfollowingclients’re

views, reacting swiftly and sensitively to poor reviews, and building client relationships through

maintaining a continuous conversation with them in the place where they are to be found: that is, online, 24/7.

• Asignificantinfluencetothegrowthofsearchenginemarketingincludingbothpaidsearchandorganic

search results.

bRIDge THe DIgITAL DIvIDe

it is essential for Greek businesses and destinations to

close the gap in the usage of technology compared with

the majority of countries in the european union. Besides

the development of functional and visually appealing web-

sites, the scope of action in B2c marketing is wide given

the wealth of opportunities provided by the applications of

social media and mobile devices. The first step, however,

is to gain a proper understanding of how technology has:


74

SHAPe TOuRISM PRODucT DIFFeReNTIATION

As a response to the vague debate of alternative forms of tourism, the Greek tourism sector is recommended to

learn from international experience and concentrate on product differentiation through the provision of experi-

ential moments to visitors. Providing the experiential element is a matter of:

• Definingthevisitors’needsandexpectationsbasedontheanalysisofgeo-demographicprofilesand

behavioural norms.

• Re-packagingandsellingdifferentexperientialproductsbyidentifyingeachdestination’suniqueidentity

and selling propositions.

• Addingcreativityandinnovationintheproductionoftailormadeofferswithsignificantimplicationsfor

the management of human resources.

• Exploitingthecommunicationopportunitiesprovidedbysocialmediaandmobiledevicestoenhance

the interactive nature of tourist experience and service quality, as a matter of increasing customer

awareness of the attractiveness and authenticity of the selling proposition, and responding effectively

and in time to customer requests.


75

be SMART AND eMbRAce cHANge AT THe LOcAL LeveL

The range of digital tools and appli-

cations should also drive a creative

and active response on behalf of

public authorities and tourism busi-

nesses to wider social movements,

which are directed at an interna-

tional audience, yet they evolve in

different ways at each locality. The

question is not if national govern-

ment and tourism stakeholders in

different areas are able to address

the concerns of citizens and visitors

on unemployment, environmental

pressures, the conservation and up-

grade of cultural heritage, the use

of public spaces and community

engagement.

instead, a more important matter is what institutional measures, in terms of decentralising the tourism admin-

istration system and strengthening the availability of financial and human resources, are necessary to enable:

• Theuseofsmartinfrastructureandtheintegrationofdigitalapplicationswiththephysicalaspectsand

regular functions of urban spaces.

• Crowdsourcingandthemoreactiveinvolvementofvolunteersinactivitiesthatbringtogetherresidents

and tourists.

• Themonitoringandevaluationofsharingeconomypracticeswhichprovidemuch-neededincometo

local communities in tough economic times.


76

INveSTIN HuMAN cAPITAL

The investment of money and time implied from the

previous recommendations is not going to be effec-

tive and efficient in the medium- and long-term, unless

there is a concerted effort to enhance the knowledge

background of people involved in the Greek tourism

sector. This matter goes beyond the purpose of re-

search as a tool to support strategy preparation and im-

plementation in tourism policy. it is more suggestive of

challenges involved for destinations and businesses to

stay competitive, provide high-quality services, and be

aware of the dynamic environment of the international

tourism market. understanding the variety of skills as-

sociated with different positions and professions, Greek

tourism should welcome sooner rather than later:

• Theaccelerationofproceduresforthecreationofuniversityprogrammesontourismeducation.

• Theempowermentofschoolsandprogrammesfocusedonprofessionaltraining.

• Thedeliveryofworkshopsthroughoutthepublicandtheprivatesectorasameanstopromotelife-long

learning and explaining contemporary trends (e.g. social media marketing, green growth

policies, climate change effects, sharing economy practices, etc.).


77

1 Irish Independent (29/12/2013) Travel Top 10… Destinations for 2014

2 FVW Media Group (06/03/2014) Greece is back in Business

3 Huffington Post (02/04/2014) Greek Revival: The Return of Tourism 4 Die Zeit (28/04/2014) Die Mutter aller Urlaubslander

5 The Guardian (03/07/2014) Greece Forges Template for Economic Recovery as Tourists Pour in

6 World Travel and Tourism Council (2014) Travel & Tourism Economic Impact Greece

7 Levy Economics Institute of Bard College (2014) Will Tourism Save Greece?

8 United Nations World Tourism Organization (2014) Tourism High lights

9 Post Office (2014) Holiday Costs Barometer

10 World Economic Forum (2014) The Europe 2020 Competitiveness Report

11 World Economic Forum (2014) The World Competitiveness Re port

12 Tourism Economics – an Oxford Economics Company (2013) The Impact of Online Content on European Tourism

13 Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (2014) Analysis of Flight Seats Demand 2013-2014

14 International Congress and Convention Association (2013) A Modern History of International Association Meetings

15 Bank of Greece (2011)Economic and Environmental Impacts of the Climate Change on Tourism

16 University of Cambridge (2014) Climate Change: Implications for Tourism

17 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2013) Greece Competition Assessment Review

18 National Bank of Greece (2014) Land: An Asset with Great Potential for Greece, but with Significant Development Challenges

19 United Nations World Tourism Organization (2013) Tourism Visa Openness Report

20 European Travel Commission (2014) European Tourism – Trends & Prospects; Q2 Report

21 Tourism Economics – an Oxford Economics Company (2014) Scaling New Heights: Economic and Tourism Growth in Europe 2014 & Beyond

22 United Nations World Tourism Organization (2014) Global Report on Shopping Tourism

23 Quartz.com (21/02/2014) Want to sell luxury handbags to Chinese tourists?

24 Hotels.com (2014) Chinese International Travel Monitor

25 Hotels.com (ibid)

26 COS-WP2014-3-15-03: Diversifying the EU Tourism Offer and Products – Sustainable Transnational Tourism Products

27 Skift (2014) 5 Habits of Outbound Chinese Travellers in 2014

28 Skift (2014) The Rise of the Silent Traveller

29 IPK International (2013) World Travel Trends Report 2013/2014

30 Pacific Asia Travel Association (2014) The Rise of the Young Asian Traveller

31 World Economic Forum (2014) Connected World: Hyperconnected Travel and Transportation in Action

32 Urban Land Institute and Ernst & Young (2014) Infrastructure 2014: Shaping the Competitive City

33 The Guardian (15/06/2014) Barcelona’s Tourism Booms, Swelling its Coffers and Littering its Beaches

34 Kathimerini Greek Editiion (24/08/2014) Cruises without a Strategic Plan

35 Destination Marketing Association International (2014) Destination Next: A Strategic Map for the Next Generation of Strategic Global Marketing

36 NBC News (09/06/2014) Secondary Cities Seek Tourism Spotlight

37 Peak + Skift (2014) The Rise of Experiential Travel

38 Tourism Economics – an Oxford Economics Company (2014) Shaping the Future of Travel

39 Financial Times (27/08/2014) Ryanair Launches ‘Business Class’ as it Aims for Corporate Market

40 Tourism Concern (2014) The Impacts of All-inclusive Hotels on Working Conditions and Labor Rights

41 Tourism Foundation (2014) Optimising Tourist Spend in the Local Economy 2014

42 Skift (2014) The 14 Trends that will Define Travel in 2014

43 HotelNewsNow.com (06/05/2014) Many Chains Embracing All- inclusive Concept

44 Ernst & Young (2014) Global Hospitality Insights: Top Thoughts for 2014

45 Peak + Skift (ibid)

46 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2014) Tourism and the Creative Economy

47 European Tourism Futures Institute (2013) Sustainable Tourism 2040: a Manifesto

48 TravelWeekly.com (14/08/2014) Special Report: Tui Charts Course in Sustainable Tourism

49 Blue & Green Tomorrow (2014) Sustainable Tourism

50 Skift (29/08/2014) How Destinations Turn Locals into Their Best Brand Ambassadors

sourCes

Cover photo: Aphrodite of Melos statue Credit: Galina Barskaya

78

ATHens, Greece

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