From 18 to 20 September 2024, the city of Kozani, Greece, hosted an important study visit as part of the ECOTOURS project. This event offered a unique opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in tourism from all over Europe, allowing them to exchange views on circular business models and explore new frontiers of sustainable marketing and management of tourist destinations.
A sustainable future for European tourism
ECOTOURS, acronym for ‘Empowering local communities by turning them into laboratories for co-development of circular and sustainable tourism ecosystems’, is a project designed to support tourism SMEs and local communities in six European countries (Italy, Greece, France, Hungary, Spain and Cyprus). The objective is to promote circular tourism by integrating environmental practices and standards into the business models of companies in the sector.
The study visit to Greece focused on sustainable marketing and management of tourist destinations, addressing the environmental challenges accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the sharing of best practices, the participating companies were able to identify innovative strategies to make tourism more responsible and environmentally aware.
A programme full of experiences and learning
During the three days of activities, participants had the opportunity to explore the cultural and natural heritage of the Kozani region, learning how to enhance it in a sustainable way. The first day was devoted to collecting best practices and discussing circular routes. Field visits, such as the Kozani Saffron Cooperative and Kamkutis Vineyards, offered concrete insights into how local resources can be integrated into a more circular tourism.
On the second day, the SMEs explored the natural treasures of Kastoria, with a boat tour and visits to the Dragon Cave and Tsatsapa mansion. The experience ended with an excursion to the UNESCO Global Geopark of Siatista, where participants were able to reflect on how sustainability can become a driver for the revival of tourism in rural areas.
The final day saw the participants engaged in a series of visits to cultural and ecological centres, such as the Kozani Municipal Library and the Arktouros Environmental Centre, with a focus on the protection of local fauna. The latter is a non-profit organisation dedicated to the protection of wildlife and natural habitats. Thanks to this visit, participants were able to understand the importance of taking care of the land and animals, exploring how the protection of biodiversity can be integrated into a model of responsible and circular tourism.
Everything ended with a moment of relaxation in the picturesque village of Nymfaio, an example of sustainable tourism recovery.
Creating networks is the future
One of the central aspects of the study visit was the strengthening of partnerships between tourism SMEs, local authorities and industry stakeholders. Discussions on future business agreements and the co-design of circular routes laid the foundations for new synergies between the different European entities involved.
This experience enabled the participants to develop skills that are fundamental for facing the challenges of today’s tourism market, such as digitisation and sustainable branding, and to contribute to the construction of a destination management system based on circular economy principles.
Study visits meet the challenge
For the ECOTOURS project, the Kozani study visit represented the last stage of a journey, which involved a vast number of actors, thanks to the creation of organic and dynamic connections capable of moving ideas and minds, as forms of disruption that push towards new models of tourism, which put the valorisation of ecosystems and local communities at the centre.
With initiatives such as these, the sharing of experiences and practices has actually sown a new path for tourism, new models become tangible and viable realities, where innovation and sustainability walk hand in hand. Being part of this change means not embarking on this journey alone, each journey becomes an opportunity to share and find collaborative solutions to regenerate, and restore value to the care and depth of symbiotic relationships, territorial and cultural beauty that we are able to create.