The Ministry of Tourism is currently implementing an Observatory for Coastal and Maritime Tourism in the Eastern Mediterranean, with the support of UN Tourism (the United Nations Tourism Organization).
Establishment of the Observatory
Pursuant to Article 5 of Law 5061/2023, the Observatory for Coastal and Maritime Tourism in the Mediterranean was established within the Ministry of Tourism.
Purpose of the Observatory
The Observatory, established under Article 5 of Law 5061/2023, aims to:
- systematically measure and monitor the environmental, social, and economic impacts of coastal and maritime tourism;
- develop relevant research activities;
- engage in consultation with local tourism stakeholders and formulate best practices for managing sustainable tourism development in coastal and island destinations across the Mediterranean;
- collect a substantial volume of high-quality data to support the design of evidence-based sectoral and thematic policies;
- facilitate the exchange of data and expertise throughout the Mediterranean region.
Inaugural Event and Joint Declaration
During the Observatory’s Inaugural Event, organized by the Ministry of Tourism on 6–7 October 2024 at the Costa Navarino Resort in Messinia, a Joint Declaration was signed by the Minister of Tourism, Ms. Olga Kefalogianni, and her counterparts from Cyprus, Albania, Croatia, and Montenegro. The Declaration reflects their commitment to supporting the initiative and its shared principles, with the objective of transforming maritime and coastal tourism into a driving force for the sustainable development of coastal regions.
Greek Initiative and Funding
The initiative to establish the Observatory originated in Greece. To support its implementation, the Ministry of Tourism is utilizing resources from the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) to finance the necessary operational tools, including:
- the development of a methodological framework for measuring sustainable tourism development at the coastal spatial scale; and
- the creation of the Observatory’s information system.
A key component of the project is an extensive cruise tourism study, which will analyze the current situation and assess the impact of cruise tourism in a Greek destination.
Scientific Framework and Operational Support
To secure funding for the scientific framework and operation of the Observatory, the Ministry of Tourism is undertaking the necessary actions to include the relevant project under Subproject 7 of Action 16931 of the Recovery and Resilience Facility, under the Ministry’s responsibility.
The project scope includes:
- the development of the necessary methodological framework for measuring coastal and maritime tourism in Greece and the wider Mediterranean region. The framework will align with international standards for measuring and monitoring sustainable tourism development, such as the Statistical Framework for Measuring Sustainable Tourism (SF-MST) developed by UN Tourism;
- the implementation of three pilot field surveys in destinations of different types (indicatively: a small island destination, a coastal resort, and a coastal urban center) to test the proposed framework. One of these field surveys will be conducted in a Mediterranean tourism destination outside Greece;
- the preparation of a Compilation Guide for the Data Tables to be used by the Observatory;
- the design and development of the Observatory’s digital platform and website. Through this platform, data collection, results reporting, data visualization, and data sharing will be carried out;
- communication and dissemination activities to promote the Observatory and share its results, including scientific workshops, network meetings, and outreach activities targeting tourism stakeholders at both national and Mediterranean levels.