Tourism Projects

Introduction

Tourism has become a popular global leisure activity, while in many countries, tourism represents a core economic activity, due to the large intake of money for businesses with their goods and services and the opportunity for employment in the service industries associated with tourism.

Besides growth and jobs creation, tourism plays an important role in the development of the vast majority of European regions. Infrastructure created for tourism purposes contributes to local development, and jobs are created or maintained even in areas in industrial or rural decline, or undergoing urban regeneration. 

Types of Tourism

The last decades, technological and economic developments have lead to an upmarket trend in the tourism. Thus, tourism sector has been evolved, as emphasis is given to various aspects (ex.environment, culture,  etc), in order to address different needs.

Consequently, the most representative types of tourim, which AER partner regions have developed through their tourism related projects are:

Sustainable Tourism

According the World Tourism Organization, sustainable tourism is envisaged as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes, biological diversity and life support systems. This is achieved by balancing the needs of tourists with those of the destination

Sustainability, thence, ensures that tourism meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future. As such, it is integral to all aspects of tourism development and management.

Ecotourism

Ecotourism (or ecological tourism) is a form of tourism, that appeals to ecologically conscious individuals, emphasizing on new ways to live on the planet. It typically involves travel to destinations of particular natural interest as eco-tourists focus on understanding  the environment and appreciating natural habitats.

According to the definition and principles of ecotourism established by the International Ecotourism Society (TIES) in 1990, ecotourism is "Responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." (TIES, 1990). Responsible ecotourism aims at minimizing the negative aspects of conventional tourism on the environment and enhance the cultural integrity of local people. Therefore, it could be described as green tourism, due to its environment friendly implementation.

Rural Tourism

In rural tourism, villages become the attraction, where tourists explore, rest, live and enjoy rural life though indoor and outdoor activities. Rural tourism allows the creation of an alternative source of income in the non-agricultural sector for rural dwellers, thus represents an ideal and natural method of rural and urban economic and cultural exchange.

Agrotourism

Like rural tourism, the concept of agrotourism is a direct expansion of ecotourism. Agricultural life is the core interest for visitors who experience and participate in rural life. Visitors have the opportunity to work in the fields alongside real farmers and wade knee-deep in the sea with fishermen hauling in their nets, and enjoy local life, while it permits local community gain multiple benefits (ex. avoid exodus of young people to urban areas, create job opportunities etc).

Educational tourism

Education and Training mobility, as well as the growing popularity of teaching and learning of knowledge and the enhancing of technical competency outside of the classroom environment. In educational tourism, the main focus includes visiting another country in order to learn, work and apply skills in a different environment.

Cultural /Heritage/Archeological/ Tourism

These types of tourism are closely linked to the cultural life of a country or region. In particular, arts, cultural or natural heritage sites, monuments, places with a significant archeological interest, urban areas, particularly historic or large cities and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres, are developed and promoted enhancing local and regional competitiveness in the tourism marketplace.

This form of tourism is also becoming generally more popular throughout the world, and a recent OECD report has highlighted the role that cultural tourism can play in regional development in different world regions, as they have together become major drivers of destination attractiveness and competitiveness.