15 July 2009 - Athens, Greece

Speaking to ECOCLUB.com, the newly-elected Secretary General of the European Centre for Ecological and Acricultural Tourism (ECEAT) Victor Ananias, an ecotourism pioneer in Turkey, explained that his plans for this 4 year tenure include strengthening the organisation by improving coordination and attracting new members with the aim of 'competing with mass tourism'. Ananias spoke of the need to have a Fair trade system in Tourism accounting for social values and pointed out that vision and devotion rather than money is what is needed in European Agrotourism adding that "when money and funding starts to be the dominating-motivating prior tool - there starts the problem". An experienced producer and promoter of organic products himself, he does not believe that organic products must necessarily be more expensive than conventional as long as they are locally sourced and not a result of international mechanised and low paid organic agriculture. Asked about the peace-building abilities of low-impact, community tourism, he was of the view that it is a challenge and that Tourism in general is not strong enough for this.

>> Please find the complete interview at
https://ecoclub.com/news/102/ananias.html