TOPOSOPHY EMBARKS ON A JOURNEY AROUND GREECE PRESENTING THE PILOT DESTINATION MANAGEMENT PLANS FOR RHODES AND SANTORINI

How can the two islands address issues like congestion, seasonality, and waste management, through heritage management, environmentally-friendly initiatives, and community engagement?

During the last 6 months we have analysed the already established practices in Santorini and Rhodes and came up with suggestions concerning the wide scope of the visitor economy. Under the auspices of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and with the financial assistance of the European Union, this pilot project aims to stimulate wide stakeholder & community engagement and provide the respective authorities of Rhodes and Santorini with key priorities and recommended actions for destination management planning.

The project started with a detailed situation analysis, stakeholder mapping and a study of good tourism practices in Greece and abroad. The next phase was a public consultation that took place in both of the islands, between June and August, in the midst of the summer season. Activities within the scope of the consultation included policy workshops, community forums, interviews, online surveys and site visits. The sample consisted of representatives from the private sector, leaders of the local community and various public authorities.

Subsequently, during the last two months, we have worked on preparing the two Destination Management Plans and outlining the required strategies and good practices based on results from the consultation report. After presenting the projects to the responsible local bodies and identifying the framework for subsequent implementation, we have finally entered the final phase of the program. This month we will present the two Destination Management Plans to the local communities of Rhodes and Santorini. Moreover, consultative meetings with the responsible bodies for the adoption of the plans will take place, with the objective to provide guidance for strategy implementation.

Communities and authorities in Chania and Athens, on 30.10 and 31.10 respectively, will also have the chance to familiarize themselves with the DMPs and the Guide to Destination Management Planning, while there is also the opportunity for additional workshops around Greece in the coming months. 

We would like to thank our fellow partners for the dedicated work, the Chambers of Cyclades and Dodecanese for the continuous support and the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) for providing added value during different phases of the program.

For more information and follow-ups, please visit the dedicated website of the programme.