“The tourism of the next decade needs rules, balance and trust“, said the president of EVEA, Giannis Bratakos.
The statement was made on the occasion of the presentation of the new Special Spatial Framework for Tourism.
Mr.
“The presentation of the new Special Spatial Framework for Tourism is an important moment for the strategic planning of the Greek economy. Tourism is one of the strongest pillars of the country’s development, but its next day cannot be based on anarchic expansion, over-concentration of activities and pressure on natural resources, infrastructure and local communities.
Greece needs a modern spatial planning framework that will protect its natural and cultural assets, enhances the resilience of destinations and ensures that tourist development remains high quality, competitive and sustainable over time.
At the same time, however, the transition to a new model of tourism development must be made in terms of predictability, transparency and meaningful consultation with the market. Businesses need clear rules, transition time and legal certainty, especially in cases where investments, authorisations or financing have already been launched.
The ECEA supports the need to put rules on the country’s tourism map. The spatial order is not an obstacle to development; it is a prerequisite for development that does not exhaust destinations, does not disproportionately pressure local communities and does not undermine the quality of the Greek tourism product.
The critical issue is balance: protecting the environment and infrastructure, but also protecting healthy entrepreneurship. Sustainability, investment security and the participation of productive actors should be the three main pillars of the new framework.
We at the EESC believe that tourism in the next decade must be more qualitative, more resilient, more evenly distributed and more connected to the local economy, employment, innovation, culture and green transition.
The country needs rules. But it is equally in need of trust. And trust is built when the state plans together with the market, local communities and institutions so that changes are applicable, fair and developmentally effective.”
