No. 72. PROPOSALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CULTURAL TOURISM IN GREECE (in Greek)
W. Kafouros. 2015. | ISBN 978-960-341-110-9
The purpose of this work is to present a set of policy proposals for the development of cultural tourism in Greece. Its starting point is the fact that cultural tourism is one of the most dynamic and fastest growing markets in the world and that, although the international environment within which this development takes place is extremely competitive, Greece has a comparative advantage in this sphere of economic activity.
A two-fold effort has been made. On the one hand, to give a complete picture of how cultural sites (museums and archeological sites) in Greece are functioning within their institutional framework and their everyday activities and obligations. On the other, to emphasize those developmental practices whose adoption can be considered to be realistic taking into account the current conditions prevailing in this country. In fact, many of the proposals put forward in this work do not require any financial cost at all in order to be implemented. In the elaboration of these proposals, many examples from the best practices of the most important and popular cultural sites of the world have been used.
Economic magnitudes and current trends of cultural tourism at both national and international level are presented and analyzed first. The huge multiplier effects which this kind of tourism creates both for other forms of tourism and for the national economy in its entity are also analyzed. The need for the compilation of a thorough, consistent and long-term institutional framework which has to encompass all forms and fields of activity of the museums and archeological sites of Greece is stressed. Special emphasis has also been given to the need for a multi-facet cooperation among the public sector, the private sector and the local authorities.
Particular attention was paid to the cultural heritage that Ancient Greece, from the Early Cycladic Era to the Alexandrian one, has left to the world. The main reason for this is the fact that this historical period, due to the enormous relative weight it has in the history of the world and due to the monuments and artifacts it has bequeathed to this country, is the tour de force of Greek cultural tourism. At the same time, no matter how strange it may seem at a first glance, this same period is the one whose tourist exploitation and promotion are far from having been fully utilized, let alone, exhausted.
Another very important historical period within the framework of a comprehensive proposal for the development of Greek cultural tourism is, of course, the Byzantine Era. This period has also not been touristically exploited to its near full potential, taking into account the plethora of monuments and artifacts it has left us.
The present work is divided into an introduction, three chapters (Definitions and Economic Magnitudes of Cultural Tourism, Factors which Influence Cultural Tourism, Proposals for the Development of Cultural Tourism in Greece) and an epilogue.