DAY 2 - SESSION 2 - Managing tourism destinations/ Adventures of “Overtourism”

1. Sustainable tourism in
Sifnos island - Greece.
Efforts and best practices

2. A bit of
context…

3. Cyclades -
Sifnos

4. Sifnos Island
Permanent population: 2.500
(> 500 students)
Surface area: 74 km2
15 km long and 7,5 km wide

10. Sustainable Tourism for Sifnos
Ensures long-term economic operations
Provides socio-economic benefits to all
Conserves cultural heritage & traditional values
Preserves natural heritage and traditional
architecture
Combats seasonality
Doesn’t exceed carrying capacity

11. Attracting tourists that:
Are respectful
Don’t damage the natural environment
Don’t offend local customs
Accept local way of life

12. In numbers…
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
May June July August September
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

13. In numbers…
0
20000
40000
60000
80000
100000
120000
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Total
Total

14. “
”
Sifnos, a place famous for
being unfamous.
By Alexander Chee
“On a Remote Greek Island, Learning to Take a ‘Real’ Vacation” in New York
Times on July 12 2017

15. Characteristics of Sifnos
History
Cooking
Architecture
Cleanliness
Pottery
Local customs
Trails
Natura
Education

16. Municipal & Community
Initiatives

17. http://www.sifnostrails.gr
A project of the municipality of Sifnos
that started in 2015 in collaboration with
Paths of Greece
19 officially marked trails
100km of professionally designed and
way-marked trails

25. Recycling & Composting
Placing recycling bins for paper, glass, metal & plastic
Awareness Campaigns (e.g. Door to Door,
Presentations)
Offering composting machines to citizens

27. “Let’s do it Sifnos” 2013-2017
 Event started for the first time in Estonia in 2008
Concept: ”Cleaning up the whole country in just one day”
 In Greece in 2012 (20.000 volunteers) & keeps going…
 In Sifnos in 2013 by the Sifnos Municipal Company (DIKES)
to clean beaches, villages, paths in Sifnos
 This year it started on April 1st and lasted for a couple of
weeks => the goal was to clean the whole island
 Participation of volunteers, students, municipal authorities,
associations, private companies

31. Sifnos says NO to plastic bags
"Do it like a Sifnian!“ Campaign
 Organised by Sifnos Island Cooperative and
supported by the Municipality, local associations &
businesses
 In April 15, 2016 implementing Directive 2015/720
to reduce the use of plastic bags
 Charging EUR 0.10 for each plastic bag in retail
shops
 Placing 3 different size multipurpose bags
(2,400 cloth bags were bought within the first 40
days)
 Awareness & educational activities

35. According to a study…
 on 335 locals in March 2017 (67% adults & 33% under the age of 18):
 84% of participants use cloth bags, 91% intends to reduce their use of
plastic bags, of which 81% has already done so
 How many plastic bags are used in a weekly basis?
54% use under 5/day
33% use 5-10
10% uses >10
3% uses no plastic bags at all

36. Energy autonomy of Sifnos -
Sifnos Island Cooperative (SIC)
 Established in 2013 with 53 founding members, now
>100
 Towards an energy autonomy plan
 Project: Hybrid Power Station (wind park & pumped
storage plant) => generate all the energy required in
Sifnos through only Renewable Energy Sources
 The licensing process, complete construction &
installation of the production & storage facilities, until
the start of operation, is expected to last 5-7 years.

38. Enhancement of archaeological sites
 Mycenaean Acropolis of Agios Andreas & Museum
- Europa Nostra Heritage Award in 2012
 Archaeological museum in Kastro
 Church museum in Vrysi monastery
 Folklore museum in Apollonia
 Ancient towers

40. Important events outside the high season
period
 Cycladic Gastronomy Festival “Nikolaos Tselementes“
-It started in 2007 with 5 participating regions
This year there were 25 regions (+Egypt, Russia)
-Awarded with the Gold Award “European Gastronomic
Festival 2016”
-takes place at the beginning of September
 Revival of the ancient towers communication network
Dozens of volunteers at 77 ancient towers all over Sifnos
using smoke and mirrors to communicate (in June)

45. Alternative tourism package proposal
 Cooperation between Milos, Kimolos, Sifnos & Serifos to create 5 thematic
routes through nature, tastes, marine activities, religion & culture
 1st stage: cooperation of all stakeholders to create an action plan (complete)
 2nd stage: appointing coordinators for each route and collection of material
from each island (complete)
 3rd stage: creation of necessary material & promotion in Greece and abroad (to
be announced)
 It is expected to be completed in 2018 & up and running in 2019.

46. Alternative tourism package proposal
For example:
 Nature route: hiking, geology, nature, architecture, monuments, etc.
 Religious route: monasteries, customs, local church festivals, catacombs,
etc.
 Taste route: gastronomy, local church festivals, local products, farms,
tasting, Tselementes Festival, etc.
 Marine route: marine tours, marine sports activities, diving, etc.

47. Cultural Events
For example:
 11th Psarokokalo - Sifnos International Short Film Festival
(26-31/7/2017)
 Speak Easy Camp [Debate Camp] (8-11/7/2017)
 Painting classes, exhibitions
 Musifanto 4th Music Festival [daily concerts, seminars]
(4-10/7/2017)
 Different music concerts (classical or traditional music, jazz… etc)
 1st Festival of Traditional Dances (17-18/6/2017)

48. Traditional art classes
 Organised by the Women’s Association “To Smari”
 Classes on:
 Basket making
 Loom
 Crochet
 Hat making
 Candle making
 Soap making

49. Private Initiatives
 Home cooking
 Farm visiting
 Cheese making
 Trekking
 Horse riding
 Diving
 Boat excursions
 Historical & Cultural tours

50. Targeted advertisement & promotion
 Sifnos participated in the tourism exhibition “Destinations Nature” 2016 &
2017 in Paris, one of the biggest of its kind worldwide
The expo is focused on hiking trails, climbing, ecotourism, etc.
 Targeted advertisement to tourists who prefer low/medium season

51. Expectations
 To increase tourism flows in May, June, September & October
No change for July & August (due to possible infrastructure problems)
 To attract the kind of tourist we are aiming for
 To develop the primary production of Sifnos
=> which will offer year-round job opportunities to locals

52. Thank you!