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7/30/2019 Paths of Greece: Design and Implementation of Walking and Bicycle Trail Networks
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The cheapest investment in tourism!
www.pathsofgreece.com
DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATIONOF WALKING AND BICYCLE
TRAIL NETWORKS
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IntroductionThe situation today and necessary steps towards quality tourism development
Greece is a country which relies heavily on its tourism sector. The last decades,
however, have seen tourist agencies and enterprises focusing their advertising
efforts on the hot, short summer season, promoting low -cost, cheap quality
services in exchange for quick profits. Especially in the last years, growing
international competition has proven that this model is not only outdated but also
has its environmental and economic cost. It is steadily becoming clear than in
order to remain competitive, the Greek tourism industry must rethink its strategy:
by placing priorities in the name of service quality, maintenance and
conservation of our natural and historical wealth . The implementation of a
comprehensive network of walking and cycling trails is an important step in the
right direction, opening doors towards alternative, sustainable forms of tourism
which both respect and nurture our natural, historical and social assets. And all
that at the lowest imaginable cost!
The implementation of such a trail network achieves a threefold aim:
- Economic development: growing numbers of visitors who willingly pay
more money for higher quality services
- Environmental protection: The paths help to enhance local natural
biodiversity by limiting negative human impact
- Social development: educational character of trail implementation by
creating an understanding for the value of natural resources and their
management
A comprehensive network for walking
and cycling trailsIn contrast to unprofessional signposting attempts which often result in locally
isolated, disorganized patterns, a comprehensively organised network entails
professional marking, promotes and preserves the unique character of the local
nature and history of a place, and is thus of immeasurable educational and
cultural value to the whole community.
Greece offers kilometers of trail routes: ranging from a simple walk through the
countryside to a proper mountaineering excursion, a short bicycle excursion or an
adrenaline-packed trip by Mountain Bike. Unfortunately, these trails are more
often than not in a lamentable state: due to a general lack of organisation, the at
best simply signposted trails are often incomplete and implemented in an
environmentally destructive manner that presents a general aesthetic eyesore.
The absence of any consistent maintenance allows these signages to deteriorate
over the years, adding to their unfavourable impression. Finally, the majority of
pathways are hardly known to the wider public, due to little or no publicity.
A comprehensive trail network offers solutions to all of theabove and can thus beconsidered a qualitative and sustainable touristic investment. The main aim of this
project is to address a broader audience, also attracting visitors who are not
familiar with these types of activities. First and foremost, the individual routes
should be selected carefully within a trailnetwork, taking care to combine uniquelandscapes with local historically and culturally interesting attractions.Also, whileleading from one point of interest to the other, the trails should retain an
informational and illustrative character.
The implementation of such a trail
network achieves a threefold aim:
Economic development: growingnumbers of visitors who willingly pay
more money for higher quality
services
Environmental protection: The pathshelp to enhance local natural
biodiversity by limiting negative
human impact
Social development: educationalcharacter of trail implementation by
creating an understanding for the
value of natural resources and their
management
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What can an integrated walking and
cycling trail network offer to an area?
The installation of an integrated network of walking and cycling trails provides only
positive effects for local communities. The benefits to be won include: a sustainable
extension of the tourist season, a large influx in revenue through seasonally returning
tourists, advertising and presentation of local natural and historical wealth,
environmental education, and promotion of local products and culture.
1) Extension of the tourist seasonDepending on the accessibility and general infrastructural character (rooms etc) of a
locality, the number of walkers and cyclists that are attracted per year is calculated to
range from several hundred at first stage, reaching several thousand (up to 10,000
people) once the network is properly installed and advertised.
Of course it must be noted that attracting large crowd of visitors simultaneously can
have the exact reverse effect on this type of traveler, who, in seeking out the privacy of
nature, will feel bothered by the masses. Instead, by allowing each visitor to discover
the natural beauty of a location individually, a medium-scale but steady (and thus
sustainable) flow of tourism can be secured for each site.
The implementation of an
integrated trail network offers:
Extension of the touristseason
Increased revenue per visitor
Promotion of natural andhistorical wealth
Environmentaleducation/awareness
Promotion of local productsand preservation of local
cultural heritage
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2) Increased revenue per visitorVisitors to walking and cycling paths are, for the largest part, people of
moderate to high income, aged 30 and over. This category of tourists tends to
lavish higher amounts on recreational purposes, a fact which must be met with
the appropriate measures (customer-orientation, qualitative services and
product offers)
Additionally, walking tourism is enjoying an increasing popularity among young
vacationers, especially in combination with other sport activities such as
mountain bike, climbing, canyoning, caving, sea kayak and water sports.
Although younger tourists may not spend such large amounts in one stay, they
nonetheless constitute a fast-growing percentage of the alternative tourism
movement and remain an important key in advertising and word-to-mouth
publicity, especially among peer groups.
3) Promotion of natural and historical wealthThe creation of a well-structured, integrated network of trails effectively
highlights the unique richness of our country's flora and fauna. This approach
allows the visitor to become immersed and intimately experience the natural
environment without upsetting the often-fragile ecosystem balance.
Informational wooden panels along the trail give interesting background
information and insights into the landscape or variable local points of interest.
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4) Environmental EducationPromoting an applied environmental approach to school education
effectively bridges the gap between classroom learning and understanding
the outdoor world. Students will greatly benefit from an organised hands-
on approach that is framed by the educational fields of biology, history,
and geology. In the long-term, this programme aims to create an
awareness among local societies for the protection of nature, as well as its
importance for their natural and cultural heritage.
5) Promotion of local products and preservation oflocal cultural heritage
Like most travellers, walkers and cyclers are not merely satisfied with
discovering the hidden beauties of a place or its history. More often than
not, they seek to come into contact with local people, their customs,
traditions - and most importantly, their kitchen! Of course, local specialities
in form of authentic souvenirs, sweets and home-grown produce are in
high demand. After all, what better way to get to know a culture than
through your stomach? A similar revival effect can also be predicted for
local festivals, bazars and traditions which are sadly running the very real
risk of dying out due to a general negligence in today's societies.
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Promotion and advertisement of the
network
1) WebsiteThe website is the key element towards the promotion of the path network.
Here all relevant available information can be found regarding the network,
from path descriptions, route maps, GPS data, as well as updates and
announcements about recent developments and activities (signage projects,
guided tours, exhibitions, etc.). The website is linked to the official Facebook
Page, which constitutes the quickest information portal for people to learn
about the various path networks. Additionally, follow us on Twitter to receive
the very latest updates!
2) Informational brochureThe creation of an informational brochure containing all relevant information
about the network is a crucial step in path promotion, including local routes,
maps and general description about the network. This leaflet can be
distributed in tourism agencies and cultural institutions and will help to inform
a broad mass of tourists and touristic enterprises about the path network
concept. At the first stage it is highly important for the leaflet to circulate free
of charge.
3) Informational panelsInstalling information panels at public access points (ports, squares, crossroads
etc.) displaying the trail network with an accompanying area map will further
publicise the network and help tourists and passerbys for orientation.
4) Contacts with travel agenciesIn the light of today's overstrained tourism industry, it is urgently necessary for
the specialisation of ecotourism or cultural tourism to be promoted both on a
national and global level. With help of local tourism offices, agencies in Greece
and abroad should be invited to collaborate with the trail network project to
plan and offer according "package" holidays by measure. Here we would like to
emphasise the crucial role of the participation in tourism and especially
ecotourism exhibitions.
A satisfied visitor will
return and bring new
friends along!
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How much will all that cost?Financially speaking, the development and implementation of a walking and cycling
path network is the cheapest touristic investment possible, with a huge range of
long-term benefits strongly outweighing the low initial costs. It is estimated that
the installation of one local network costs around 1,000 per kilometer, although in
many cases the actual costs have in fact been far lower.
In short, a network package includes route recording (mapping), design, trail
clearance and maintenance, signposting with directional markers and information
panels, the creation of an informational brochure and comprehensive website design,
as well as handling of touristic marketing and promotion.
At first stage, a completely newly-implemented network may be expected to exceed
the initial cost calculation of 1,000/kilometer, due to the necessity of frequent
maintenance and physical labor such as trail planning, clearing and signposting.
Implementing a network to an already-existing, cleaned though perhaps imperfectly
signposted trails will bear significantly lower costs and can fall as low as
500/kilometer. It should be noted that as a general rule, the more mileage a path
network covers, the lower the price per kilometer.
The cost for a walking
and cycling path network
range from 500 to
1000/km
Without doubt, the
cheapest touristic
investment imaginable!
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What we offer
Comprehensive study of the development of walking
and cycling path network
GPS-tracking Clearing, maintenance and repairs Signposting (path markers and information panels) Creation of a map Advice on setting up sponsors/sponsorships
Promotion and advertisement of the path network
Hiking trails brand planning Website development Creation of informational brochure Representation at exhibitions for ecotourism Advice for establishing ties/connections with
touristic enterprises in Greece and abroad
Advice for setting up environmental educationprogrammes
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Who we are
Fivos Tsaravopoulos
Fivos Tsaravopoulos holds two Master titles in European Studies and Environmental
Management. Beside his native language Greek, he is fluent in English and French.
He has been actively involved with the implementation of walking and cycling trails
across all of Greece since 2010. He has developed or helped with the
implementation of several path networks on Skyros, Spetses, Marathonas, Sifnos,
Kythera, Patmos, Karpathos, Athens (Ymittos) and Drama.
He has collaborated with the Hellenic Society for Environment and Culture and the
Kytherian Foundation for Culture and Development, as well as other private
institutes. He has been a board member of the Hellenic Society for the Protection of
Nature. In his free time, he is a passionate climber, hiker and photographer.
Michalis Antypas
Michalis is specialised in Geografical Information Systems (G.I.S.). He speaks Greek,
English and Italian. He has worked for several companies in the filed of production of
geographical information related software as well as in map creation. Michalis has a
rich volunteering carrier (Protection of Sea Turtles Association, volunteer fire
brigades, Doctors of the World) and he worked for WWF Greece as a field
researcher. He is a fervent cyclist, and he loves mountairneering and scuba diving.
Contact
www.pathsofgreece.gr
(+30) 69.37.66.83.38
/pathsofgreece