ECOCLUB® | Ecotourism & Sustainable Tourism Consultancy

Rural Andean Recycling Centre in Chugchilan, EcuadorBeyond our free services to individuals offered through our Professional Membership programme, our Team offers value-for-money consultancy services to small businesses in the fields of ecotourism, sustainable tourism and green hospitality. We are eager to advise on a wide range of sustainability-related needs including certification, strategic planning, business plans, business diversification, online marketing, rebranding, reskilling, fundraising and hiring. We can also advise owners that wish to sell their ecohotel/ecolodge as well as aspiring owners. Based in Athens (Greece, European Union) our company has a global professional network of consultants, allowing us to advise remotely or on location depending on the specific project circumstances.

Our advisory record includes, but is not limited to, the following:

June-July 2024: Evaluated candidate cities for the European Commission's European Capital of Smart Tourism and European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2025 competition.
June 2024: Conducted ecotourism training in Litochoro (Mt. Olympus, Greece) for the young cohort members of Ecogenia, a Greek NGO that empowers young people to contribute to climate action and building a resilient society.
May 2024 - Ongoing: Advising 7 tourism businesses in the context of the EU-co funded I-STARS (Island Sustainable Tourism Action through Resilient SMEs) project aimed at facilitating transition towards sustainable tourism business practices in Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, Italy, and Spain.
April 2024: Co-organized side-event on "Protecting Sea Turtles in Rethymno: Uniting Tourism & Conservation Efforts" at the 9th Our Ocean Conference in Athens.
August 2023 - Ongoing: Providing expert support to the Archelon/TUI Turtle Aid project in Crete aiming to limit tourism impact on sea turtle nesting sites.
April 2023-January 2024: Participated in the GSTC Stakeholder Consultation for Disadvantaged Groups for the development of the GSTC MICE Criteria.
June-July 2023: Evaluators of candidate cities for the European Capital of Smart Tourism Award 2024 and European Green Pioneer of Smart Tourism 2024 competition.
March 2023: Appointed Media Partner of the GSTC2023 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference, Antalya, Turkiye 9-12 May, 2023.
November 2022: Appointed Media Partner of the GSTC2022 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference, Sevilla, Spain 12-15 December, 2022.
November 2022: Conducted online training of Greek Travel Agents in the context of the EU-funded SUSTOUR project, organized by Travelife, with the support of HATTA.
September 2022 - ongoing: Associate Partner of the "EuroCluster Rural Tourism" a project, funded by the EU COSME program. This two year project aims to help micro and nano SMEs in the tourism sector through the structure of a "Eurocluster".
September 2022: Contributed chapter on Greece in "Sustainability Leadership in Tourism"
Kaefer, F. (2022). Antonis Petropoulos on the State of Ecotourism in Greece. In: Sustainability Leadership in Tourism. Future of Business and Finance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05314-6_16
May 2022: In association with the Institute of Creativity Research & Development of the Region of Thermos, we coordinate the launch of a conservation network in Lake Trichonida, Greece, and a cleanup of the Lake.
April 2022: Mentor for ecotourism businesses in Tunisia in the context of the Tourism Recovery Programme of the German Development Agency, implemented by Enpact and TUI Care Foundation.
November 2021: Mentor for two ecotourism businesses in Egypt in the context of the Tourism Recovery Programme of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), implemented by Enpact in partnership with TUI Care.
November 2021: We present "Sustainable Tourism in Practice - Key Challenges" to the 2nd Year Students of the "Sustainable Tourism" Course of the Universidade Lusófona, Portugal, taught by Dr Fiona Bakas.
November 2021: We present Ecoclub at the inaugural online event of the Portuguese Ecotourism Association.
September 2021: Media Partner of the World of Travel Trade and Taste (WTTT) EXPO (Miami Beach Convention Center Florida, 5-7 May 2022)
August 2021: Ecoclub becomes an Associated Partner of the EU Eco-Tandem Programme, aimed at stimulating cross-border cooperation.
July 2021: We co-organise a cleanup of Louros beach in Messolonghi Lagoon Protected Area, in western Greece, and co-authors a short Guide on Citizens participation in Protected Area Management, part of a Greek Ecotourism Society project.
February 2021: Project Contract with Green Evolution for the Global Sustainable Tourism Council's Destination Assessment of the City of Athens.
January 2021: Media Partner of the Eco Hotel Investment Summit (27-28 January 2021, Online)
February 2021: First Ecoclub Green Destinations Event
July 2020: Media Partner of the Eco Hotel Summit, (July 27-31, 2020, Online)
May 2020: We talk about Green Tourism Adaptation at the 'Economy & Environment in the Post-pandemic era" event organised by the Greek Greens.
May 2020: Desia Ecotourism Bed and Breakfast becomes the 25th Ecoclub Ecolodge™ following the successful completion of our Audit process.
March 2020: Our Co-Director is elected Vice President of the Greek Ecotourism Society
July 2019: We launch Villa Ioanna Drossia (Chalkida, Greece) as a short-term rental.
August - December 2019: Media Partner of the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference 2019 (4-7 December 2019, Azores, Portugal)
January 2019: Partner of the Project Management in Sustainable Development Training offered by TrainingAid
August - December 2018: Media Partner of the Global Sustainable Tourism Conference 2018 (7-10 December 2018, Kasane, Botswana)
May 2018: Our Co-Director conducts training in the context of the ERASMUS+ project study tour, "EARTH – Empowering young people in Eco & Agro Rural Tourism to Help local development”, in Athens, Greece.
December 2017: Media Partner of the Campaign against Forest Destruction in Sweden
September 2017: Media Partner of the GSTC Global Sustainable Tourism Conference 2017, Aysen, Patagonia, Chile, Sep 6-9, 2017.
August 2017: Our Director serves as a Judge in the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST) "Local Traditions" Photo Contest
November 2016: Media Partner of the VI InterEcoForum, Marbella, Spain, March 23-25, 2017
September 2016: Media Partner of the 2016 Global Sustainable Tourism Council Europe Regional Meeting, Athens, November 23-24, 2016
August 2015: Media Partner of the 2015 Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards
December 2014: Media Partner of the IIPT World Symposium, Johannesburg, February 16-19, 2015
November 2012: Industry Partner of The Philadelphia Inquirer Travel Show (26-27 January 2013) and of The Boston Globe Travel Show (8-10 February 2013)
June 2012: Industry Partner of the OneWorld Travel Mart San Francisco, 27-30 June 2012
July 2011: Donated Euros 3,000 to cover equipment costs in the Doctors of the World Polyclinic ("Polyiatreio") in downtown Athens. The clinic provides free healthcare to immigrants, uninsured workers and the underprivileged, all of whom were facing added difficulties due to the economic crisis in Greece.
March 2011: Media Sponsor of 3rd International Travelers' Philanthropy Conference, Costa Rica, 20-23 July 2011.
June - October 2010: Funded Project: "Visitors Resource Centre for Ecotourism" in Jamuna Village, Ilam District, Nepal.
June - December 2010: Funded Project: “Birdwatching as a strategy for conservation of the community”, Colombia.
June - December 2010: Funded Project: Building a 'Ruka' Traditional Food court - Chile
July 2009 - April 2010: Funded Project: Creating a Community Tourism Cooperative - Honduras. "For a long time, the local community of Buenos Aires has handled tourism activities inside the Cusuco National Park in a disorganized way so a local tourism cooperative is proposed as a step forward."
July - November 2009: Funded Project: "From Wild to Web - Guyana". "Ecotourism-linked wildlife monitoring activities by the village Wildlife Club will be enhanced by a dedicated laptop and cameras. Village youth will learn to digitally document field projects, to make web pages, and upload them online"
July - October 2009: Funded Project: Water Filters in Chichubamba Community - Peru "Improving the health of the people of Chichubamba South by giving them access to clean drinking water, by providing ceramic water filters and education in their use and maintenance".
August 2008: Media Partner of the Ecotourism & Sustainable Tourism Conference to be held in Vancouver, Canada, October 27-29, 2008
July 2008 - June 2009: Funded 5 projects as follows: Ecuador: Sustainable Ethnic Rescue Centre for Mindo, Canada: Toolkit for Greening Canada's Events, Ecuador: Native-Tree Nursery Using Plastic Garbage, Ecuador: Banishing Disposable Plastic from an Ecolodge, Pakistan: Raising Environmental Awareness in Kalash area visitors
July 2008: Our Director makes a presentation at the European Greens / EFA high-level Conference on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at the European Parliament in Brussels.
July 2008: First two lodges, in Dominica & Belize accepted and certified as Ecoclub Ecolodges.
July 2007: Media Partner of the North American Ecotourism Conference, Madison, Wisconsin, 26-28 Sep. 2007.
June 2007 - January 2008: Funded the Creation of a microenterprise to collect and recycle discarded plastic bags by turning them into a range of useful products in Cambodia.
June 2007 - January 2008: Funded the Creation of a pig farm in an Ecuadorian Ecolodge to help reduce poaching in the community.
June 2007: Part-funded a semi-completed Project which aimed to turn some Gorilla Poachers into Farmers in Rwanda.
April 2007: Media Partner of the 4th IIPT African Conference, Kampala, Uganda, May 20-25, 2007
March 2007: Supporting Media for the Lao Ecotourism Forum "Bridging the Mekong Region" 26-29 July 2007
November 2006: Media Partner of the Global Ecotourism Conference, to take place in Oslo, Norway in May 2007.
June - August 2006: Funded Tree Planting on 64 acres of adopted land at Tenegang in Sukau, Sabah, Malaysia.
June - August 2006: Funded the Rescue of Fishermen's Small Boats in Lake Atitlan, Guatemala.
June - August 2006: Funded the Building of a Rural Andean Recycling Centre in Chugchilan, Ecuador.
December 2005: Official Partner of WWF International's PowerSwitch Campaign
July 2005: Endorsing Organization of the World Tourism Directory
July 2005: Supporting Organisation of the IIPT 3rd Global Summit on Peace through Tourism.
July 2005 - February 2005: Funded the Installation of a hydraulic ramp pump at the organic farm of a Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Dominica.
July - November 2005: Funded the Creation of an organic agriculture association in the village of Galibeedu, near Madikeri in Karnataka state, India.
July 2004: Funded the Creation of an organic vegetable plot and greenhouse in school premises in Sri Lanka
January 2003: Co-Sponsor of the IATOS 2003 World Congress, Business Marketing and Global Strategies Conference Tracks, Chicago, Feb 19-23, 2003.

Awards, Recognition & Testimonials

( This is a selection, for the full list please click here )

Ecoclub Ecolodge™ recognised as one of five ecolabels that indicate hotels meet sustainability and responsibility criteria, in "Are we there yet? Travelling more responsibly with your children" by Rachel Dodds and Richard Butler.

Recognised as one of 18 best practices worldwide in the American Hotel & Lodging Association Educational Institute's "Guide to Best Practices in Tourism and Destination Management, Vol 2. ", written by Professor Rich Harrilll, Director, Institute for Tourism Research, University of South Carolina,

Winners of Travelmole's Responsible Tourism Website Award

Members of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council since 2015

Listed in "The Good Website Guide", written by Graham Edmonds, HarperCollins Publishers.

Recommended as a "sustainable tourism platform" in the Training Manual on the Creation and Promotion of Sustainable Tourism Products prepared by AGEG for the RESTART MED! project.

Recommended in "Guidelines for Marketing Community Based Tourism Products" - "contact them [Ecoclub] for direct marketing to consumers"

"I am an admirer of the important work that you have been doing with Ecoclub. You are providing a great service to ecotourists and ecolodge fans, and thus also contributing to sustainable development and the conservation of the world's natural and cultural heritage. My sincere congratulations!!"
Héctor Ceballos-Lascurain, Architect & Tourism Consultant, credited as the first to coin the term and definition of 'Ecotourism', Director General, PICE

"I have been a Member of Ecoclub for a year now and find it be a very good trade association for people working in the sustainable tourism industry. Your efforts to share information on what is going on around the world in this quickly changing field are very much appreciated."
Carol Patterson, Tourism Consultant, Author of the definitive ecotourism textbook "The Business of Ecotourism",

"No doubt the publicity we received through Ecoclub (for the ESTC 2008 conference) was an important factor in making it such a well-attended event. Thank you very much for your generous support"
Ayako Ezaki, Now Director of TrainingAid, then Director of Communications, The International Ecotourism Society (TIES)

"Thank you for starting Ecoclub, it is amazing, and starting me on my way to my dreams with Ecoteer!"
Dan Quilter, Founder, Ecoteer.com

"Congratulations for this excellent work you do through Ecoclub. It is based on solid views and ideas!"
Eleni Svoronou, WWF Greece,

"Congratulations on 10 years of Ecoclub!...From my perspective, it's an absolute pleasure dealing with such a professionally run, passionate, innovative and informative organisation."
Jane Crouch, Responsible Travel Manager, Intrepid Travel, Australia

"SLEF was founded in 1998 and those days Ecoclub was the only source we got information on ecotourism that helped a lot to develop our organization. I really appreciate the great contribution made by Ecoclub in supporting ecotourism fraternity in the world. Your able guidance and dedication mattered the most in bringing the Ecoclub what we see today."
Palitha Gurusinghe, Founder & President, Sri Lanka Ecotourism Foundation

"I have pleasure in sharing with you our success in Ranweli Holiday Village, being selected as a Highly Commended Project (Runners up) in the Environmental Experience Category of the British Airways Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2003. I take this opportunity to thank you for your assistance without which our success would not have been possible."
Chandra de Silva, The Late Founder & Director Ranweli Holiday Village & President, Ecotourism Society of Sri Lanka.

"I am really a big fan of Ecoclub and find this platform very useful"
Vera Mikos, Project Coordinator, Healthy Seas

"We continue to be inspired by those that straddle the academic/practitioner divide, for example, Antonis Petropoulos (Ecoclub) and Ron Mader (Planeta), making sure that the message gets 'out there'."
Carl Cater, Brian Garrod and Tiffany Low eds, Encyclopaedia of Sustainable Tourism (CABI, September 2015)

"Thank you so much for taking the time to go through the site with a fine tooth comb. I really do appreciate the effort you have made and I will be working my way through all your comments and amending the site as I go."
Rob Hirons, Proprietor, The Lodge at Big Falls, Belize

"You guys are awesome and I thank Google in helping me to find your website. Keep up the good job you do..."
D. Wilcox, Aspiring Ecolodge Owner, Hawaii

"Ecoclub has inspired me to create more than just a bed and breakfast for tourists in upstate New York. With the guidelines that I have learned through your organization, we have created a Bed and Breakfast that works with our lifestyle, has an emphasis on ecology and is interwoven with the local culture. The result is a more meaningful experience for me and my son, for each guest and for the local community. Our little home-based business has a much higher purpose. We are hoping that our efforts help to preserve not only our 5-acre farm but this very vulnerable County."
Mary Koch, Owner, Thyme in the Country

"Ecoclub, based in Greece, links to the Web sites of eco-lodges, hotels and resorts in more than 80 countries. It also offers useful eco-travel news and advice."
Washington Post, "How to Find a Hotel That's Truly Fit for The Eco-Friendly"

"The partnership with Ecoclub has significantly enhanced the Adventures in Travel Expo particularly from a visitor-attraction perspective, contributing at an international level by its recognition as a leader in the movement for better tourism and for environmental, social and economic justice. ecoclub involvement has allowed the Expo to reach a greater global audience..."
Adventures in Travel Expo - Sydney, 13 September 2006

"Thank you for all the efforts you make. We are proud to be part of Ecoclub."
Kurt Schmack, La Laguna del Lagarto Lodge, Costa Rica

" Without initiatives like Ecoclub life was more difficult for most lodges since most of them are remote whereby daily access to the outside world is a comfort many people take for granted !"
Jacques van Egeraat, Amazonat Jungle Lodge, Brazil

"We are very glad to be members of such important, exclusive and supporting club. Eco Hotel Uxlabil-Atitlán has been growing through the long way with all your support and interest"
Francisco Sandoval, Ecohotel Uxlabil-Atitlan, Guatemala

"A big "Thank you" for the support of Bintang Bolong Lodge through Ecoclub. We had (and still have) a very successful season, which considerably exceeded our expectations. This is mainly due to the promotion and the increasing awareness level in the internet. Ecoclub made a very big contribution to our success. Thanks again"
Sebastian Reinelt, Proprietor, Bintang Bolong Lodge, The Gambia

ECOCLUB Consultancy™ - Ecotourism & Sustainable Tourism Advisory Services