Destination management organizations planned to tackle overtourism

Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias is about to bring to Parliament a proposal for a destination management and promotion organization, in a bill aimed at tackling the challenges of securing a sustainable tourism product.

This will follow the pattern set by optimum practices in other countries (as in Spain) with destination management organizations; they grant local and regional authorities the option of co-management and coordination with the private sector as well as state agencies, so as to put an end to the lack of communication in various areas in Greece that may be saturated or deserted.

That project will promote state and private sector cooperation with various entities such as tourism clusters, tour operators and airlines. Emphasis will be placed on the ability of the organizations to plan and implement programs related to sustainable tourism development, the protection of destinations’ natural environment, and the supply of incentives for the promotion and management of local quality certifications.

There will also be the option of joint advertising, releasing resources for the optimum use of promoting a destination.