Greece needs to plan for a sustainable tourism model

The author contends that Greece's current tourism strategy, characterized by unplanned infrastructure and the legalization of illegal developments, is eroding the natural landscapes that attract visitors. The text criticizes recent legislative efforts to promote large holiday compounds and remove protections from forests, while proposing an alternative model based on the renovation of abandoned buildings and the sustainable management of natural and cultural heritage.

• Tourism is a critical driver of the Greek economy, contributing 16% to the national GDP and seeing a massive increase in foreign arrivals from 462,857 in 1961 to 14,918,177 in 2002.
• The current tourism model is characterized by 'tourism monoculture' and unplanned infrastructure growth, leading to the loss of natural capital and ecological damage in areas like the National Marine Park of Zakynthos.
• Legislative actions by the Greek government, including a June 2013 law, promote large holiday compounds in ecologically sensitive areas and allow for the legalization of illegal developments.
• A proposed draft law from the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Climate Change threatens to remove protection status under the Forest Code for natural lands covering nearly 15% of Greek territory.
• WWF Greece proposes a sustainable alternative that prioritizes the renovation of existing abandoned buildings and villages over new construction to support rural areas and preserve natural capital.

APA

Nantsou, T. (2014). Greece needs to plan for a sustainable tourism model. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/greece-needs-to-plan-for-a-sustainable-tourism-model/

Chicago

Nantsou, Theodota. Greece needs to plan for a sustainable tourism model. Green European Journal, 2014. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/greece-needs-to-plan-for-a-sustainable-tourism-model/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Nantsou |first1=Theodota |title=Greece needs to plan for a sustainable tourism model |publisher=Green European Journal |date=10 January 2014 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/greece-needs-to-plan-for-a-sustainable-tourism-model/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{nantsou2014greece, author = {Nantsou, Theodota}, title = {{Greece needs to plan for a sustainable tourism model}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2014}, month = jan, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/greece-needs-to-plan-for-a-sustainable-tourism-model/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }