 Stefanos Stamellos,
Eco Activist, Author & Runner
"Productive land and mountain tops cannot be wasted so that some can sell renewable energy to Germany and Austria... As for Mt. Oiti, it will be a huge crime if plans to install wind turbines on this mountain of flowers go ahead!" |
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 Fiona Bakas
Tourism Lecturer, Lusófona University
"..the pandemic has given us the time and space to re-think tourism. At a time when radical, systemic change and transformation have become the order of the day, we need to foster a fertile space for new conceptualisations of alternative tourism to emerge..." |
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 Nikki Rose,
Journalist, Seminar director and Professional chef
"Crete's Culinary Sanctuaries Educational Network" - Supporting cultural, natural and culinary heritage protection through educational travel |
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 Rigas Zafeiriou,
Sustainable Development & Tourism Consultant, Kytherian Foundation for Nature & Anthropos
"Kythera Trails - building a sustainable destination at the heart of the Mediterranean" |
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 Fivos Tsaravopoulos,
Founder & Manager, Paths of Greece
"To go fast we walk alone, but to go far, we walk together!" |
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 Natali Dologlou,
Researcher, MIRC, Greece
"Ecotourism can open the door to a genuine contact with locals and their culture, which is practically impossible in a more conventional touristic package" |
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 Vasilis Tsipidis,
Administrative Officer, TRAFFIC International
"Tourism planning cannot be left to the industry to decide, it is sad even to consider such a move. " |
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 Manolis Psarros,
Head, Sustainable Tourism Development Department, Greek Sustainable Tourism Organization, ELAGRO, Greece
"Greek tourism should move from central administration models to local or regional decentralised administration systems & policies" |
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 Yannis Vardakastanis,
Proprietor, Ionian Eco Villagers & Earth, Sea & Sky, Greece
"There is no need fo r more hotels (in Zakynthos) and to reduce the number of visitors would ease immense pressure off the island...There are too many tourists, turtle chasing activities, excessive light pollution, human waste and rubbish, all impacting greatly on our fragile eco-system"
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 Nikki Rose,
Principal, Cooking in Crete, Greece
"If we think tradition should be offered to us for free, we are part of the serious problem. The people we meet during our travels are not obligated to treat us to a single peanut, let alone a feast free of charge. They are not our free entertainment – no matter who we are."
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 Harris Coccossis,
Executive Secretary, Ministry of Tourism Development, Greece
"The most important challenge is to change our thinking about development, including tourism"
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 Michael Romanos,
Professor of Planning & Economic Development, University of Cincinatti, United States
"Environmental and social justice are at the heart of sustainable development"
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 Vassilis Kouroutos,
Executive Director, MEDASSET
"Until the day that environmental considerations take a definitive role in all aspects of government decision making there is little doubt that political, economic and commercial interests will continue to over-ride environmental concerns" |
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 Sotiris Kitrilakis,
Founder, Zante Feast, Greece
"In industrialized countries where important choices affecting the whole world are made, the vast majority of the population lives in urban centers. They are unfamiliar with the origins of their food and the people who produce it. It is time for them to become re-acquainted with the sources of the most important commodity in their lives."
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 Eleni Svoronou,
Capacity Building Officer, WWF Greece
"We believe that each NGO has its own niche and expertise. At the end of the day, our final purpose is the environment and the sustainable development. Our survival as organisations is the means to this end, not an end in itself."
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 Aimilia Drougas,
Co-founder, Arion Cetacean Rescue & Rehabilitation Centre, Greece
"When it comes to details, don't wait for the great and mighty gurus of conservation to tell you how to do it, because you are the gurus - no one knows your local reality like you do. The best way to learn is to just do it, make mistakes, but be honest about them, and use the lessons you learn to improve your techniques."
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 Artemios Hatziathannassiou,
Expert, Centre for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES), Greece
"The barriers that eliminate the wide penetration of renewable energy source in Greece or generally in EU can be summarised in three issues: the lack of knowledge of those technologies, the lack of financial incentives and the high prices of crude oil." |
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 Stefanos Fotiou,
Head, Policy & International relations, EKBY, Greece
"Ecotourism can be the vehicle for nature conservation provided that ecotourism activities will be planned and implemented in a sustainable manner".
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Photo by Pandemia on FlickrEnvironment Minister Hatzidakis had visited Chrysi Island in June 2020 and talked of a "shameful sight" promising action. This summer limits have been set on the number of tourists taking day trips to the uninhabited 5 sq. km sandy Chrysi (Golden) island 15km south of Ierapetra, Crete. In addition daily visitors are not allowed to venture in the interior of the island so as to allow the Cretan juniper (Juniperus macrocarpa) forest, protected under the EU Natura 2000 scheme, to recover. The island is a declared archeological site and also has shell fossils. Twenty arbitrary constructions were demolished in mid-May 2022, however, according to the Chrysi Action Plan & Monitoring Committee, illegal wells, dirt roads, use of 4WD vehicles, water pipelines, trading (beach bars) and camping activities are still "raging" on the island. The municipality of Ierapetra has protested that the protection measures are "out of reality".