Paths of Greece: Design and Implementation of Walking and Bicycle Trail Networks

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international competition has proven that this model is not only outdated but also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

[email protected]

/pathsofgreece

Paths of Greece: Design and Implementation of Walking and Bicycle Trail Networks

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