Theme A: The Development of Ecotorism in Greece. Mr. Dimitrios Georgakopoulos Deputy Minister of Development

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1 Theme A: The Development of Ecotorism in Greece Mr. Dimitrios Georgakopoulos Deputy Minister of Development Statement of the Greek Government to the World Ecotourism Summit Nature, history and culture are recognised as the main features that promote the development of ecotourism. Greece is a country with a great richness of natural ecosystems. The majority of the Greek tourist destinations have a diversity of species and landscapes and are areas of great historical heritage, samples of which have been conserved at least from the third millennium BC. The Greek people carry through the centuries and maintain a plentiful cultural heritage. Nature, history and culture constitute a unity and reveal themselves at any time to the visitor of the Greek ground making Greece an ideal place for the development of ecotourism activities. The positions of Greece concerning the development of ecotourism activities evolve through a framework, which is based on one hand on the evaluation of the historic evolution of tourism, and on the other hand on the presentation of the vision of Greece about ecotourism as part of the efforts for sustainable development. The development of tourism in Greece since the middle 60 s has been based primarily on classic tourism activities. These activities have contributed decisively to the economic development of many areas and especially islands, which emerged as tourist destinations of a world-wide range. The sudden growth of the tourism industry has been one of the main reasons why the quality of life of Greek people has increased. Thousands of new employment posts have been created and local

2 communities have been adequately supported. The Greek tourism product has gained a remarkable place in the global tourism market, ranking Greece among the 15 more popular tourism destinations in the world. Tourism, as any other industry, has followed the international economic cycles. The intense international competitive scene of the 80 s and the 90 s has led the tourism industry to practices, which aimed primarily at the reduction of the production cost of tourism services and products. These practices have contributed to the maintaining and increase of the level of economic revenues from tourism. In parallel though, certain circumstances arose which made control of tourism impacts in the environment, more difficult than before. Pressure has been put on natural ecosystems as also on features of the cultural environment. That pressure made more than ever actual the principle according to which, tourism activities that do not take into account the carrying capacity of the environment are very likely to create circumstances which will harm features of tourism attraction. The Greek Government evaluating the progress of the tourism product demand in national, but also international level, and setting the goal to utilise the comparative advantages of the Greek landscape and the rich historical and cultural heritage, reconsiders the strategies and goals of tourism development during the period In these strategies, ecotourism is of prime importance.

3 The development of tourism is based on the pattern of a qualitative and multiform tourism product, through the qualitative enhancement of accommodation and tourism services, the utilisation and incorporation of new resources concerning the natural and cultural richness of Greece, and the creation of interests to the visitor. The target is the utilisation of the rich in natural resources inland, combined with the existing tourism resources, and the emergence and promotion of thematic tourism (mountain tourism, ecotourism, agro-tourism, adventure tourism, etc) as well. Ecotourism as a form of thematic tourism will enable areas with possible socioeconomical difficulties to set a new developing parameter. In other words, geo-social problems are given the chance to be converted into developing advantages. At the same time, ecotourism emerges as a directly usable efficient tool for the conservation of nature. Ecotourism can be the one of the biggest financier of the efforts for nature conservation. It can provide a significant part of the necessary funds that will support the operation of the management bodies of protected areas. It can and it has to be a starting point for the effective co-operation between the tourism industry stakeholders and those concerned with the protection of the environment (natural and manmade). These remarks constitute a base for examination and dialogue in a period when Greece lining up with the international efforts for the accomplishment of sustainable development, has emerged as a pole of development and stability in the wider area of the Balkans and the Southeast Mediterranean. It is obvious for our country that

4 ecotourism can become a vehicle for the promotion of peace, friendship and cooperation among the nations. Greece, in the framework of international and European activities in the domains of the environment, sustainable development, nature conservation and developing aid, supports international ecotourism action programmes. We believe that ecotourism is not only an alternative form of tourism product, but mainly that through the relative action programmes, nature conservation is directly and efficiently promoted, biodiversity conservation is achieved, and the income of developing countries is substantially rising together with their viable development. Through ecotourism, the developing dimension of viability that constitutes a cornerstone for the environmental future of the planet is being systematically promoted. An effort that will probably be defined also in the Johannesburg Summit the following September. The accomplishment of the aforementioned objectives depends on three factors: Economic viability. Ecotourism actions have to be planned in clear terms, which will guarantee the success of their management implementation, otherwise they are doomed to failure. This potential failure will have significant financial consequences, it will give ecotourism a bad reputation and it will disappoint the local communities. Environmental compliance. Ecotourism actions in the worst case have to demonstrate practices of zero environmental impacts, and in the best case practices of active contribution to nature conservation. Social justice. Ecotourism actions have to be planned for all the citizens without room for social exclusions.

5 Compliance or not with these factors has to be controlled through measurable quantitative and qualitative indicators. Greece has demonstrated until now considerable examples of ecotourism actions that satisfy the aforementioned requirements. These examples will proliferate and the results of the strategy and the general efforts of the Greek government for the development of ecotourism will presumably be visible very soon. The actions for providing ecotourism services during the organisation of the Olympics of 2004 are first indications of the readiness of the Greek government. Plans for the development of ecotourism in the four Olympic cities are being prepared in order to reveal the ecotourism potential of the cities and mainly their broader area, and to create ecotourism products and services of a higher quality. The Olympics of 2004 and the Cultural Olympiad find an ally in ecotourism, supporting this way the efforts for the conservation of the Greek nature. Concluding, ecotourism is an activity, which has the potential to significantly contribute to the efforts for sustainable development. In order for this to be achieved ecotourism has to be economically viable, environmentally compatible and socially acceptable. In this way we will be able to lead ourselves to the accomplishment of the long-term target of sustainability in all the forms of tourism.