Corfu and Heraklion to work together with Cruise Lines International Association for sustainable tourism
Local authorities in Corfu and Heraklion have teamed up with the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) to assess the sustainability status of each city and map out a plan for sustainable tourism.
The sustainable assessment process will begin in December 2020 and involve three phases across a period of five months: an initial preparatory phase of research and data compilation, a second phase of on-site assessment with stakeholder engagement, and a final phase of analysis and report.
Commenting on the collaboration, the Mayor of Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands, Meropi Ydraiou, expressed her hope that the cooperation will be the start of a sustainable future for the destination.
“We are sure that the Municipality of Central Corfu & Diapontia Islands, CLIA, GSTC and Corfu Port will establish a strong collaboration ensuring the best for the destination and the community,” she said.
Heraklion Mayor Vassilis Lambrinos underlined that the municipality is responding to these challenging times by taking the bold step of evaluating the sustainability of the economic and tourist capital of Crete.
The GSTC Destination Assessment focuses on four main categories of destination sustainability:
- Destination management and governance
- Economic benefits to local communities
- Protection of cultural heritage, community, and visitor well-being
- Environmental protection and conservation.
