The President of the Institute for Tourism Research and Forecasts, Ms. Christina Tetradis, expressed her belief that it is now essential for Greek tourism to transition to a model aligned with the principles of sustainable development, during her presentation at the Local Future – Local Government: “Innovative Practices and Smart Solutions” Conference .
The discussion also included the Minister of Tourism, Ms. Olga Kefalogianni, the Regional Governor of the Peloponnese, Mr. Dimitris Ptochos, and the Mayor of Athens, Mr. Haris Doukas, and was moderated by journalist Mr. Dimitris Takis, Ms. Tetradi noted that a recent ITEP survey shows that a large percentage of the Greek hotel industry has already realized that this transition is a necessity.
“The real question is not whether we can afford to invest in sustainability. The question is whether we can afford not to. Sustainability in Greek tourism is an investment in competitiveness,” emphasized Ms. Tetradi, noting that international tourism is changing, as markets, investors, major tour operators, and even travelers themselves increasingly consider the sustainability of a destination and accommodation as a key selection criterion.
Consequently, the President of ITEP noted that “in a mature tourism market like Greece’s, the enhancement of the visitor experience will not come solely from the sun and sea, in 5 of the 13 regions, for 4 months a year. It will come from the quality, reliability, authenticity, and resilience of our product.”
Investments in reducing the energy footprint
As noted by the President of the Hellenic Tourism Investment Association (ITEP), renovation investments in tourism facilities exceed 1 billion euros annually, 20% of which focus on Green Development.
It is therefore evident that there is strong interest on the part of hotels to invest in this direction; but state support is considered equally important; as Ms. Tetradi noted, “the state must create incentives, investment financing tools, and subsidized programs, as well as training and technical support, so that the transition is inclusive,” while also highlighting the significant contribution of the Ministry of Tourism to this effort, as it “approaches sustainability not as a compliance obligation, but as a tool for upgrading the entire Greek tourism product.”
The discussion on overtourism and what the ITEP data reveal
Particular emphasis was placed during the discussion on the issue of overtourism. Ms. Tetradi noted that “Greece does not suffer from overtourism,” but pointed out that the term serves as a useful warning, as ITEP data show that in recent years, the unchecked expansion of Airbnb accommodations has placed additional pressure on infrastructure and worsened carrying capacity indicators, without this being reflected in planning.
“If we want serious spatial planning, we must take into account the total actual tourism capacity of each destination,” he emphasized, noting that short-term rentals are now part of the tourism economy—and thus a tourism product—and for this reason “must be subject to equal and equitable regulation, with rules regarding taxation, safety, hygiene, and spatial planning that are consistent with those for other accommodations.”
As noted, the ITEP has worked on carrying capacity, specifically for Athens, by analyzing data that focuses not only on arrivals but also on bed density, seasonality, pressure on housing, infrastructure, airports and transportation in general, water, waste, and the overall quality of life for residents as well as the quality of the visitor experience.
“We cannot talk about tourism development when there are still serious issues with basic infrastructure, such as water supply, sewage, waste management, and airports, and when a place lacks development potential,” stated the President of ITEP, while also emphasizing the need to accelerate necessary investments in key projects.
In closing, Ms. Tetradi noted that “sustainability is not a marketing slogan, but a fundamental prerequisite.” Therefore, it is essential to develop every destination with a plan, rules, balance, and a sustainable approach that respects the environment, protects the character and culture of the place, and is grounded in social responsibility, always placing people and the quality of life of residents at the center.
“A destination is truly attractive when it is, first and foremost, sustainable for its residents, as the quality of life of citizens is directly linked to the quality of the tourist experience,” concluded Ms. Tetradi, emphasizing the important role that ITEP can play in creating a permanent monitoring mechanism that includes a dynamic system with annual indicators per destination and serves as a key strategic planning tool for bringing the Greek tourism product into the era of sustainable development.