S. Aegean Region Focuses on Experiential Tourism as ‘Smart Specialisation Strategy’ for Islands’ Promotion

Photo source: Region of South Aegean

Experiential tourism will be at the center of the South Aegean Region’s new Smart Specialisation Strategy with the aim to boost the islands’ growth, the regional council decided during a recent meeting on Sifnos.

After identifying the natural and cultural resources and assessing the needs and growth potential of the region’s islands, the council decided to tap into cultural, eco, experimental and educational tourism with the adoption of a sustainable development strategy in efforts to provide product differentiation and create a “brandname” for each destination.

A part of the EU’s Regional Policy Contributing to Smart Growth in Europe 2020, “smart specialisation” is an innovation policy concept designed to promote the efficient and effective use of public investment in research. Its goal is to boost regional innovation in order to achieve economic growth and prosperity, by enabling regions to focus on their strengths.