Greece, one of the world’s leading tourist destinations, is facing one of the most complex challenges of the 21st Century: how to balance the growing demand for tourism, while at the same time protecting its natural and cultural resources. From idyllic islands to traditional mountain settlements, the consequences of uncontrolled tourism development are now visible.
Overconsumption of natural resources, environmental degradation and pressure on local communities threaten not only the present but also the future of tourism. Moreover, there is a dimension very often overlooked: food miles – the distance that food has to travel before it reaches our plates.
In tourism, high dependence on imported products increases the carbon footprint and neglects locally produced goods. Tourists often consume food that has travelled thousands of kilometres, ignoring the rich variety of local products that can enhance the authenticity of destinations and strengthen local economies.
How Can We Make a Difference?
It is clear that a shift needs to be made towards a new model of tourism where growth does not come at the expense of the environment
or local communities. How can we strengthen the link between tourism and sustainability? What practices can be implemented to reduce food miles, promote local products and create responsible experiences for visitors?
Sustainable tourism is not just a moral choice – it is a necessity. Greece, with its rich cultural heritage and unique landscapes, faces challenges such as environmental degradation and loss of local authenticity due to tourism development.
We, at Komvos-Node, are committed in promoting a new model of tourism. Through initiatives in partnership with tourism businesses, local communities and scientific institutions, we aim to strengthen responsibility and sustainability. We have created initiatives that we hope will be a response to the sustainability challenges of tourism. What are these challenges? We will present them at our upcoming conference on 29/11/2024. The announcement of the initiative will be made during an interesting discussion among highly experienced interlocutors.
Content Coordinator:
Elizabeth Filippouli, founding member of Komvos-Node
Discussion Moderator:
Angelos Chaniotis, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Komvos-Node
Panel of Speakers:
– Alexandra Mitsotaki, President of the World Human Forum
– Konstantis Rokofyllos, Founder/CEO Paleros Bay
– Eleni Skarveli, Director of EOT UK and Ireland
– Elizabeth Filippouli, Founder/CEO Global Thinkers Forum
We invite you to be part of this discussion, for an initiative that aims to make tourism truly sustainable. Let’s take care of the environment and local communities. Together, we can ensure that Greece remains a destination that will impress generations to come.
Piraeus Bank is Komvos-Node’s Grand Sponsor, making a key contribution to the realization of its vision.
The National Bank of Greece is the major sponsor of the ENNOIA initiative and sponsor of Komvos-Node’s conference. Komvos-Node would also like to thank Ecovis-Onetax, Informal Advertising and Natech.
We would also like to thank DEMO ABEE pharmaceutics for sponsoring the initiative “Health Biotechnology-Economy Synergy Structures” as well as Accenture Greece for sponsoring the ENNOIA initiative.