Blogtrotters 2017 to Showcase Greece as Sustainable Travel Destination

Digital influencer community Blogtrotters this year will tell stories of successful sustainable tourism practices in Greece, in support of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) designation of 2017 as the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development.

Marketing Greece’s digital platform Blogtrotters, whose concept this year is Travel in Balance, has dedicated 2017 to the promotion of sustainable tourism development, with the aim of highlighting real-life examples.

For the past four years, the digital influencer community (bloggers, Instagrammers and vloggers) has played a vital role in this innovative storytelling platform. Sustainable travel experiences in various destinations around Greece are being designed for members of the community.

Through a series of themed trips, based on the three goals underpinning the International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development – economy, environment and society/culture, participants will have the opportunity to explore diverse forms of sustainable travel in Greece.

The preservation of cultural values and heritage, environmental protection and natural resource management, and sustainable local economic and social development constitute elements that will inspire influencers to convey authentic, responsible travel experiences to their audience.

The digital influencers will communicate their stories through blog posts, vlogs and social media posts across the web. The impact of the influencers’ content on their followers will be measured via a unique digital Sustainability Footprint that comprises the storytelling, resultant coverage and sharing of the content among the general public.

The strategically-targeted and methodical promotion of key characteristics of the country’s tourism product, such as bioclimatic architecture, the farm-to-table dining trend and the preservation of local customs, will showcase sustainable practices and encourage others to follow suit.

In 2016, the Blogtrotters digital platform, whose concept was Greece Beyond the Senses, achieved 145 million social media impressions, with 57 international influencers visiting more than 50 destinations throughout Greece and producing 80 blog posts and 19 vlogs.

Marketing Greece is creating a platform of themed trips for digital influencers in strategic collaboration with Aegean.