study_for_the_development_of_wine_tourism_in_greek_crossborder_area.pdf

7/27/2019 Study_for_the_development_of_wine_tourism_in_Greek_crossborder_area.pdf

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/studyforthedevelopmentofwinetourismingreekcrossborderareapdf 1/164

1

CROSS-BORDER NETWORK FOR THE PROMOTION OF WINE PRODUCTS

D2.2 Study for the development of wine tourism in

Greek cross-border area

July 2013



2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................... ........................................................... 7

2. STRATEGIC PLANNING: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND TOOLS .................................................... 11

2.1 Strategy and Strategic Planning .................................................................................... 11

2.2 SWOT Analysis: A brief description ............................................................................... 12

2.3 Stakeholder Analysis ...................................................................................................... 13

3. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS ............................................................. .................................... 17

3.1 Development of new trends in tourism ........................................................................ 17

3.2: Evaluation of wine tourism development: International review and examples from

Greece ................................................................................................................................. 18

3.2.1 International trends................................................................................................ 18

3.2.2 Overview of wine tourism development in Greece ............................................... 23

3.3 Characteristics and trends of wine tourism market in Greece and abroad .................. 25

3.4 Assessment of wine tourism development in Northern Greece: Study on Supply ....... 26

3.5 Characteristics and trends of wine tourism market in Northern Greece ...................... 30

4. INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS .............................................................. .................................... 31

4.1 Facilities and tourism development .............................................................................. 31

4.2 Wine industry and level of wine tourism development ................................................ 334.2.1 Viticulture and wine production............................................................................. 33

4.2.2 Wineries .................................................................................................................. 34

4.2.3 Level of wine tourism development ....................................................................... 36

5. PRIMARY RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY ............................................................. .............. 38

5.1 Study objective and identification of interest groups ................................................... 38

5.2 Qualitative research ...................................................................................................... 38

5.3 Quantitative research .................................................................................................... 39

5.4 Questionnaire content .................................................................................................. 40

5.5 Reliability and validity test ............................................................................................ 40

6. CONCLUSIONS AND OVERALL DIAGNOSIS .......................................................................................... 42

6.1 Primary research results ................................................................................................ 42

6.2 SWOT Analysis Results................................................................................................... 46

7. PRESENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF WINE TOURISM IN THE

REGIONAL UNIT OF IOANNINA ........................................................................... .................................... 55

7.1 Formation of general strategy ....................................................................................... 55

7.1.1 Target setting .......................................................................................................... 55



3

7.1.2 Formulation of vision .............................................................................................. 55

7.1.3 Overall strategy ...................................................................................................... 56

7.2 Axes and measures ........................................................................................................ 56

7.3 Grouping of proposed actions by axis ........................................................................... 57

8. SETS OF ACTIONS ....................................................................................................... ......................... 60

8.1 Detailed presentation of proposed actions by axis and measure ................................. 60

AXIS 5: COMMUNICATION POLICY AND PROMOTION .................................................... 85

AXIS 6: FOSTERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE WINE INDUSTRY ................................. 91

8.2 Correlation of actions - Spatial Distribution of Actions – Proposed indices.................. 94

9. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTIONS UNDER PUBLIC INVESTMENT PROGRAMME .................. 108

9.1 National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) ........................................................ 108

9.1.1 Regional Operational Programme Thessaly - Central Greece - Epirus 2007 – 2013

....................................................................................................................................... 108

9.1.2 Operational Programme ‘Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship’ 2007- 2013 . 109

9.1.3 Operational Programme “Digital Convergence” 2007 – 2013 ............................. 110

9.1.4 Public Investment Programme ............................................................................. 110

9.2 Operational Programme of Rural Development "Alexander Baltatzis” 2007 - 2013 .. 110

9.2 European Territorial Cooperation Programmes .......................................................... 111

9.2.1 Programme “Greece – Italy” ................................................................................ 112

9.2.2 Programme “Greece - Albania” ............................................................................ 112

9.2.3 Southeast Europe Area (South East Programme) ................................................ 113

10. PRESENTATION OF THE PROMOTION AND ENHANCEMENT PROJECT OF WIN TOURISM AND LOCAL

WINE PRODUCTS .................................................................................................................................. 117

10.1 General Framework of Communication Strategy ...................................................... 118

10.2 Promotion via the Media – Advertising campaigns .................................................. 118

10.3 Design and production of informative and advertising material (printed/electronic)

........................................................................................................................................... 11910.4 Events ........................................................................................................................ 120

10.5 Other promotional activities ..................................................................................... 121

11. EVALUATION OF LONG TERM BENEFITS AT THE LEVEL OF ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND

DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS .......................................................................................... ....................... 123

REFERENCES ......................................................................................................................................... 126

Greek ................................................................................................................................. 126

English – Other languages ................................................................................................ 129

APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................................. 138

http://192.168.5.60/dimosio/ETCP%20PROJECTS/GR_IT_WINENET/ROE/3.%20DELIVERABLES/2nd%20Deliverable/Final%20Submission/%CE%95%CF%80%CE%B9%CF%87%CE%B5%CE%B9%CF%81%CE%B7%CF%83%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BA%CF%8C%20%CE%A3%CF%87%CE%AD%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BF_finn_ENGLISH%20%CE%BC%CE%B5%20%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%B8%CF%8E%CF%83%CE%B5%CE%B9%CF%82.doc%23_Toc360641556






4

INDEX OF TABLES

Table 1.1 Proposed axes and measures for wine tourism development in the Regional Unit of Ioannina

................................................................................................................................................................ 10

Table 3.1 Lifecycle of wine tourism destination according to Tomljenović (2006) ................................ 19

Table 3.2 World’s top wine tourism destinations ... .............................................................. ................. 20

Table 3.3 Forms of wine tourism destinations ....................................................................................... 21

Table 3.4 Proposed indices and measures for the standardisation of wine tourism development ....... 22

Table 3.5 Level of wine tourism development in four wine regions of the country .............................. 24

Table 4.1 Indicative mixture of tourism product at the Prefecture of Epirus ............... ......................... 31

Table 4.2 Current Situation regarding the development of Special and Alternative Forms of Tourism 33

Table 4.3 Description of Wineries of the Regional Unit of Ioannina ...................................................... 34 Table 6.1 Bodies of the Wine Sector ...................................................................................................... 42

Table 6.2 Bodies of the Tourist Sector.................................................................................................... 42

Table 6.3 Bodies of Local Government Organisations .............................................................. .............. 43

Table 6.4 Educational bodies and local community members ............................................................ ... 43

Table 6.5 SWOT Analysis – Strengths of wine industry .......................................................................... 46

Table 6.6 SWOT Analysis – Weaknesses of wine industry ...................................................................... 47

Table 6.7 SWOT Analysis – Opportunities of wine industry ................................................................... 48

Table 6.8 SWOT Analysis – Threats for wine industry ............................................................................ 49

Table 6.9 SWOT Analysis – Strengths of tourism industry ................................................................ ..... 50

Table 6.10 SWOT Analysis – Weaknesses of tourism industry ............................................................... 51

Table 6.11 SWOT Analysis – Opportunities of tourism industry ............................................................ 52

Table 6.12 SWOT Analysis – Threats of tourism industry ......................................................... .............. 53

Table 6.13 Strategic guidance ................................................................................................................ 54

Table 7.1 Proposed axes and measures for the development of wine tourism in the Regional Unit of

Ioannina ........................................................ ................................................................. ......................... 57

Table 8.1 Points and activities of the existing Wine Road of Epirus ....................................................... 61

Table 8.2 Points and activities that could be added in the Wine Road of Epirus ................................... 61

Table 8.3 Obligations of visitable wineries ......................................................... .................................... 65

Table 8.4. Measures and Actions of the first Axis of the Business Plan ................................................. 71

Table 8.5. Measures and Actions of the second Axis of the Business Plan .............................. .............. 74

Table 8.6 Greek bodies of viticulture and wine education ..................................................................... 78

Table 8.7 Greek bodies for tourism development ......................................................... ......................... 79

Table 8.8. Measures and Actions of the third Axis of the Business Plan ................................................ 81

Table 8.9 Greek networks for the development of wine tourism .......................................................... 84



5

Table 8.10 Measures and Actions of the fourth Axis of the Business Plan ............................................ 85

Table 8.11 The products of the “Basket” of the Prefecture of Epirus .................................................... 86

Table 8.12. Measures and Actions of the fifth Axis of the Business Plan ............................................... 91

Table 8.13 Sales and export activity of visitable wineries in the RU of Ioannina, Source: ICAP (2010) . 92

Table 8.14 Measures and Actions of the sixth Axis of the Business Plan ......................................... ...... 93

Table 8.15: Correlation of the first axis’ actions with the objectives of the strategic plan .................... 94

Table 8.16: Correlation of the second axis’ actions with the objectives of the strategic plan ............... 95

Table 8.17: Correlation of the third axis’ actions with the objectives of the strategic plan ................... 96

Table 8.18: Correlation of fourth axis’ actions with the objectives of the strategic plan ...................... 97

Table 8.19: Correlation of the fifth axis’ actions with the objectives of the strategic plan .................... 98

Table 8.20: Correlation of the sixth axis’ actions with the objectives of the strategic plan ................... 99

Table 8.21 Spatial distribution of actions ............................................................................................. 100

Table 8.22 Proposed monitoring indices .............................................................................................. 105

Table 9.1 Funding of actions .......................................................... ....................................................... 114

INDEX OF FIGURES

Figure 1.1 Proposed axes and measures for wine tourism development in the Regional Unit of

Ioannina in the period 2013-2018 ........................................................... ................................................. 9

Figure 2.1. Schematic illustration of Strategic planning procedure Source: Stokes, 2008 ..................... 11

Figure 2.2 Grouping quadrants of the SWOT analysis Source: David, 2000 (adapted) .......................... 13

Figure 2.3 Interest Groups (Stakeholders) in Greek Tourism. Source: Tsartas et al. (2010: 225) .......... 15

Figure 2.4. Schematic representation of key methodological steps necessary for Stakeholder Analysis.

Source: Reed et al. (2008) ...................................................................................................................... 16

Figure 4.1. Tourist resources of the Regional Unit of Ioannina .............................................................. 32

Figure 8.1 Key components of wine tourism product in the Regional Unit of Ioannina ........................ 74



6

INDEX OF PICTURES

Picture 3.1 Geographical distribution of visitable wineries of Northern Greece. Source: Alebaki, 2012

................................................................................................................................................................ 29

Picture 4.1 Distribution of wineries at the Prefecture of Epirus .............................................. .............. 35

Picture 4.2 Regional Unit of Ioannina – Geographical distribution of wineries and number of lodgings

by tourist destination ......................................................... ................................................................. ... 37

Picture 8.1 Points of the proposed Wine Road of Epirus ........................ ............................................... 63

Picture 8.2 Region of Zitsa – Proposed locations for the placement of signs for the Wine Road of

Epirus. Source: Google earth ................................................................... ............................................... 64

Picture 8.3 Region of Metsovo – Proposed locations for the placement of signs for the Wine Road of

Epirus. Source: Google earth ................................................................... ............................................... 64

Picture 8.4 Map of Zitsa’s Viticultural Zone. Source: Ministry of Rural Development and Food

(2013) ........................................................ .............. 72



7

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In the context of the modern environment of international competition, the successful development

of a tourist destination requires both planning and implementation of a well documented strategy,

which will ensure the promotion of local characteristics on one hand, and the development of

comparative advantages of the region on the other (Deery et al., 2012). Towards this goal, the

cooperation among all parties involved (interest groups or stakeholders) is considered of particular

significance, especially for wine tourism, in which offering a complete tourist experience requires the

mobilisation of bodies from different sectors (Pikkemaat et al., 2009).

Taking into account the above mentioned findings, the objective goal of the present Deliverable of

the project entitled “Cross-Border Network for the Promotion of Wine Products” (WineNet) is the

refinement of general guidelines into concrete measures and actions, which will contribute to the

further development of wine tourism in the Regional Unit of Ioannina. The present study is entitled

“Study for the development of wine tourism in Greek cross -border region”. This study is, essentially,

the 2nd

phase of the Business plan for the development of wine tourism in the cross-border region

and it consists of 2 parts:

I. Strategic approach at regional level

II. Inclusion of wine tourism in the area’s developmental map

To ensure an as much as possible integrated approach of strategic planning and developmental

perspectives of wine tourism as well as to plan realistic and sustainable actions, a combination of

different sources of data mining, theoretical models and methodological tools was chosen. Inparticular, the project team took into account the following, before concluding to the formulation of

specific proposals.

1. the conclusions drawn from the analysis of the current situation regarding wine tourism

development at the Regional Unit of Ioannina and were recorded under the Work Package 2.1

2. references from both Greek and international academic literature (Theories and models of wine

tourism development, examples and good practices, data regarding the market of wine tourism,

trends, etc)

3. secondary data and information drawn from various sources (Prefecture of Epirus, Development

Agency of Epirus S.A., Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises - SETE, European Statistical Office andHellenic Statistical Authority, International Organisation of Vine and Wine, etc.)

4. field research results, which was carried out between March and May 2013, with main objective to

determine the advantages and weaknesses of the Regional Unit of Ioannina with regard to the

development of wine tourism

According to the previous analysis the general vision for wine tourism in the Regional Unit of Ioannina

was revealed for the next five years, which reads as follows:



9

•Creation of a complete wine

tourism experienceAxis 1

•Protection and promotion of wine and cultural heritageAxis 2

• Exploitation of human

resourcesAxis 3

•Development of synergies

Axis 4•Communication policy and

promotionAxis 5

• Fostering entrepreneurship in

the wine industryAxis 6Figure 1.1 Proposed axes and measures for wine tourism development in the Regional Unit of

Ioannina in the period 2013-2018

It is important to highlight that one of the greatest challenges those involved in this process are facing

is related to the management of conflicting interests (Tomljenović & Getz, 2009). Any attempt for

networking or the development of another project, requires that the involved parties share common

understanding of purpose, otherwise it is expected that they will disagree when discussing the means

to achieve it (Tsioumanis, 2005:200).

Table 1.1 summarises the Measures included in each Axis, and in chapter seven each Action is

described in detail.



10

Table 1.1 Proposed axes and measures for wine tourism development in the Regional Unit of

IoanninaAXIS 1 MEASURES

Creation of a complete

wine tourism experience 1.1 Improvement of the wine road of Epirus

1.2 Linking wine tourism with other Special and Alternative Forms of Tourism

1.3 Exploration of tourist market’s needs

AXIS 2 MEASURES

Protection and promotion

of wine and cultural

heritage

2.1 Exploitation of wine heritage

2.2 Preservation of cultural heritage

AXIS 3 MEASURES

Exploitation of human

resources 3.1 Improvement of capabilities and professional level of all stakeholders 3.2 Standardisation and testing

AXIS 4 MEASURES

Development of synergies 4.1 Networking at local level

4.2 Joint actions for the development of wine and tourism culture

4.3 Development of cross-regional and cross-border cooperation

AXIS 5 MEASURES

Communication policy

and promotion 5.1 Creation of a tourist brand with wine and gastronomy as the central axis 5.2 Promotion of local characteristics of each individual destination of the

Regional Unit of Ioannina AXIS 6 MEASURES

Fostering

entrepreneurship in the

wine industry

6.1 Incorporation of wine and local cuisine in restaurants and points of

touristic interest in Greece and abroad 6.2 Exports of wine and tourism

Special thanks to all people, from local entrepreneurs to private and public bodies in the wine and

tourism industry, who facilitated the conduct of field research through their participation.

Writing - Editing:

The group who was responsible for the drafting and editing of the Operational Plan includes people

from various disciplines. During the write up of the chapters it was deemed necessary to separate

them, due to the complexity in drafting a Business Plan, which includes various procedures of

different nature and due to the special issue discussed (wine tourism).

Chapters 1 – 8.1

Maria Alebaki, Agronomist of Agricultural Economy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, MSc,

PhD, Specialised expert

Chapters 8.2 – 11

Kiki Argyropoulou, Engineer of Planning and Regional Development, MSc

Sofia Pedaki, Economist, MSc (TQM)

Athena Astrinidou, Economist

Eleni Zitti, Economist MSc

The overall project was coordinated and conducted under the supervision and organisation of the

project leader on the side of the Contractor:

• Vasilis Tsekeridis, Engineer of Planning and Regional Development, Master in BA, MSc in Finance

• Ioanna Papaioannou, Agronomist of Agricultural Economy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, MSc



11

2. STRATEGIC PLANNING: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND TOOLS

2.1 Strategy and Strategic Planning

In general, “Strategy” means a plan developed to achieve the objectives of a system (business,

organization, industry, geographic area, etc.), through the interaction with its competitive

environment (Daft, 2004: 59). In tourism, this term has been used more generally, and researchers

focus more on strategic planning rather than strategy making or strategy as such (Stokes, 2008).

In creating strategy in an area, four key parameters are involved: a. formulation of the vision, b.

setting objectives, c. identification and evaluation of strategies and d policy planning (Anastasopoulos,

2010).

Figure 2.1. Schematic illustration of Strategic planning procedure Source: Stokes, 2008

As shown in Figure 2.1, the first stages of this process are focused on the analysis of the external and

internal environment of the organization, through which strengths and weaknesses are identified

(internally), as well as opportunities and threats from the external environment. Following this stage

is the selection of strategy, which aims at reinforcing the strengths and opportunities while seeking to

minimise the weaknesses and threats. Section 2.2 includes more information about this method,

which is known as SWOT Analysis.



16

It should be highlighted that interested bodies may differ, if applicable (Timur & Getz, 2008). For

example, interest groups, whose role is considered as crucial during a destination’s period of

development may be different in relation to the corresponding ones involved in destination’s

marketing or the development of a tourism product. Furthermore, interested bodies may differ

among different destinations.

According to the Theory of Interest Groups, during strategic planning process it is important to take

into account all interested bodies, without giving priority to particular categories of groups (Clulow,

2005; Gupta, 1995; Mallott, 1990). The stages that should be included in Interest Group Analysis are

presented in Figure 2.4

In highlighting the importance of Stakeholder Analysis towards sustainable tourist development, Byrd

et al. (2008) mention characteristically: “understanding fully both the attitudes and the interests of

stakeholders is a prerequisite for the design and management of sustainable forms of tourism ”.

Finally, it is noted that various methods may be used for the identification of interest groups, and,

during their application, additional new categories may be added - as the process continues. Examples

of such methods include the use of expert opinion, focus groups, semi-structured interviews,snowball sampling, or a combination of these (Reed et al., 2009).

Figure 2.4. Schematic representation of key methodological steps necessary for Stakeholder

Analysis. Source: Reed et al. (2008)



17

3. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT ANALYSIS

3.1 Development of new trends in tourism

The 1980s mark the beginning of Special and Alternative Forms of Tourism development (Kokkosis et

al., 2011). As far as Greece is concerned, the course of the said growth was characterised as

“awkward initially and then dynamic”, while the key causes have been recorded as follows (Tsartas,

2010: 299-325):

In Greece, the significant growth potential of Special and Alternative Forms of Tourism is evident

through various parameters, which jointly shape demand trends. The most important ones are the

following (Tsartas, 2010: 327):

The promotion of environmental and cultural dimensions as the main motivation for the

trip, in all research studies focusing on the characteristics of demand for Greek tourism

product and the corresponding characteristics of European tourists

The rapid development of Special and Alternative Forms of Tourism in Europe, which is

basic pool of tourists for Greece

The fact that mountains, countryside and cities are among the choices of tourists regarding

the destination (nevertheless, sea is still their first choice)

The annual increase in the number of trips

The significant contribution of domestic tourism in Special and Alternative Forms of

Tourism, whether it is a special trip with multiple incentives or a trip following the main

holiday period

The fact that many bodies (SETE, ITEP - Institute for Tourism Research and Forecasting,

WWF, WWTC etc) highlighted the need to differentiate the country’s tourism product

The abundance of natural and cultural resources of the country and the gradual increase of

facilities for Special and Alternative Forms of Tourism

The recognition of the developmental prospects of alternative tourism models is also evident from

the developmental proposals of SETE’s initiative (2010) entitled “Greek Tourism 2020”, in which the

following is mentioned:

1. The intensity of the debate that has been created due to mass tourism impact on the

environment (natural and constructed, exceeding the limits of its bearing capacity)

2. Gradual controversy regarding the standardised model of mass tourism

3. The need to meet new offer and demand trends (shift in tourists’ incentives –

entrepreneurs’ mentality)

4. European Union’s contribution in strengthening initiatives and

5. The promotion of a sustainable pattern of tourism development



18

“According to the traditional approach, the enrichment -diversification of the existing product with

various other forms of tourism is suggested, provided they have the suffix -‘ikos’. However, there is

this new philosophy, suggesting that new products should be the result of intersectoral -

interdisciplinary collaborations”.

Indeed, among the proposed action axes is the integration of gastronomy5

in the tourism product

offered, a key priority according to SΕΤΕ for the development of Greek tourism.

3.2: Evaluation of wine tourism development: International review and examples from Greece

3.2.1 International trends

Recently, a shift to shorter trips made more frequently is observed (Gómez & Molina, 2011) in

destinations that tend to be closer to the place of residence (Papatheodorou et al., 2010). The tourists

of the 21st

century have many incentives (Kokkosis et al., 2011: 76), seek for experiential – active

experiences (Alebaki & Iakovidou, 2010; Tsartas, 2010), and include both eating and drinking among

the activities they participate during their trip (Mintel, 2009). Furthermore, modern tourists (Kokkosiset al., 2011: 76) seek for alternative 'escape' routes, show greater environmental awareness (Marzo-

Navvaro & Pedraja-Iglesias, 2009), and want to buy emotions rather than products (Opaschowski,

2001: 1) as well as to discover new experiences (Chrysochou et al., 2006) and places, which apart

from the sea and sun, are also authentic and meet their needs for direct contact with nature (López -

Guzmán et al., 2011).

The need to adapt and respond to new trends of demand has led - since 1990s and then- in the

development of a special form of tourism, based on the close relationship between wine and the

local, historical and cultural characteristics of a wine region (Alebaki, 2012). Factors shaping the

development of wine tourism have been analysed in detail in Section 3.1 of Work Package 2.1.

The key conclusion resulting from the academic literature review and the investigation of

international practices shows that in order to offer an attractive wine tourism product, the production

of high quality wine is not sufficient. Successful wine tourism development is a function of various

factors, such as geographic location and accessibility of a region, market potential and the

organisation of winemaking. Therefore, a strategy approach relying on specific measures and

indicators for the assessment and comparison of actions is essential (Getz & Brown, 2006).

In this section we will attempt to categorise the various wine regions, in terms of the stage of their

development to better capture the image of the external environment, which will enable the

development of a framework for benchmarking. The basis for the distinction among wine tourism

destinations in categories will be according to the approach of Tomljenović (2006, Table 3.1), which

states that the factors determining wine tourism development are the following:

Scale of wine tourism development

Forms of tourism

Importance of wine tourism to wineries

Importance of wine tourism to the region

Strategies and

Political issues

5 having wine as the main component of the tourism product offered (SETE, 2009: 13).



19

Table 3.1 Lifecycle of wine tourism destination according to Tomljenović (2006)

4 Stages and

characteristics 1: Incipient Wine Tourism 2: Developing 3: Maturity 4: Declining

Scale of wine

tourism

development

In most cases wineries were established without

regard for tourism; very few wine tourists Growth in wine tourist volume; new

wineries designed for tourism; "Landmark"

wineries established

High levels of wine tourism development

and competition Decline in volume of visitors; some

wineries might become unprofitable

and stop their operations

Types of tourism

None, or the established visitor segments are not

interested in wine

Growth in dedicated wine tourists; some

mass tourism at landmark wineries

A broad mix of visitor segments; tensions

between certain groups of visitors and

mass tourism

Loss of dedicated wine tourists;

lower yield per visitor

Importance of

wine tourism to

wineries

Tourism is strictly a sideline to most; many

enterprises are not even involved

A mix of tourist- oriented and export-

oriented wineries

Almost all wineries are involved; some

are heavily dependent on cellar door

sales

Declining cellar-door and other retail

sales; higher dependence on other

distribution modes

Importance of

wine tourism to

the region Perceived to be minor; some visionaries see the

potential

Recognition of potential, based on visible

trends; general desire to grow wine

tourism

Employment and economic impact of

wine tourism is recognised and might

be the dominant activity

Declining economic importance of

wine tourism might be seen as a

regional crisis

Strategies

Encourage and aid entrepreneurship; attract

investment; “Shaping” a vision

Branding of the wine tourism destination;

focus on high-yield wine tourists;

integrate wine and other policy domains

Focus on sustainability; possibly

demarketing to reduce mass tourism

Repositioning is needed; create

new selling proposition (uniqueness

stressed); quality of wines stressed

Political issues

Complacency might impede or kill wine tourism

development

Policy is required, and resolution of

conflicting interests will be a challenge

Growing costs of tourism present

ongoing political challenges

Can the causes be rectified? At

what cost?

Source: Tomljenović, 2006 and Tomljenović & Getz, 2009



21

Table 3.3 Forms of wine tourism destinations

Type of destination

/ Lifecycle stage

Characteristics Examples of destinations

Emerging Regions with a newly established tourism product

(wineries, restaurants) Synergies among local bodies are

limited.

Adelaide Hills (South

Australia), King Valley

(Victoria)

Growing Regions with an already established wine tourism

product, growing reputation in relation to wine and

gastronomy, and in which there is some development of

synergies.

McLaren Vale, Mornington

Peninsula

Mature Very popular wine regions, having strong alliances and

networks, in which the wine tourism receives significant

support from stakeholders (tourism or wine industry)

Coonawarra (Limestone

Coast), Yarra Valley

Rejuvenating Regions in which wine tourism is already well developed

but there is a need for relaunching - rebadging the

produced product and their reputation.

Barossa Valley, Rutherglen

Source: Deery et al. (2012)

As already mentioned in section 4.3 of the previous Work Package, there are significant differences

between the Old and New World in relation to wine tourism development. In general, it is evidentthat, despite the long wine production tradition in Europe, wine tourism is a fairly recent

phenomenon, the dynamics of which have not yet been recognised. In addition to this, there are

many cases with clear lack of scientific research and design, while the degree of the involvement of

wine industry stakeholders is smaller compared to the situation in the New World (Charters, 2009,

Charters & Menival, 2011).



24

In Greece, wine tourism development was essentially autonomous, at local level, assisted greatly by

synergies between wine producers and other parties involved. Table 3.5 presents the results of a

research study, which aimed at evaluating the level of wine tourism development of particular wine

regions of the country (Kokkosis & Valassa, 2012).

According to the researchers, Crete’s wine tourism product is the best one in terms of design,

organised mainly to enhance the interconnection of wine with gastronomy and other local food

products, and incorporates a variety of activities. Indeed, the contribution of wine tourism networks

and the company “Cretan Quality Agreement” is considered crucial for the development of the

island’s wine tourism regions.

Nemea offers an organised and independent tourist package, while the region’s wineries may be

distinguished in three categories: a. small enterprises focused mainly on local / regional market and –

to a lesser extent – on domestic market, b. bigger enterprises, which are recognised in the national or

international market, and c. enterprises with wineries, not only at Nemea, but also in other areas. As

far as the offered wine tourism product is concerned, the authors’ assessment suggests that it is

complete in terms of organisation. Furthermore, apart from private bodies, the region’s wine tourism

development is also supported greatly by public sector initiatives (wine routes, “ Peloponnesian

Basket ” , Agricultural Vocational School with specialty on "Viticulture - Oenology", etc).

In Naoussa, wine tourism has been mainly developed due to various collective actions and the "Wine

Roads of Northern Greece”, in particular. Apart from the participation at the wineries , Naoussa’s road

includes participation in various tourism activities (eating, staying at high quality accommodation,

cultural and sports events, consumption of local food products).

Table 3.5 Level of wine tourism development in four wine regions of the country

Region Growth characteristics of wine tourism

Crete “Structured wine tourism product together with agrotourism and ecotourism activities”

Incorporation of local food products (‘taste of place –dining in Crete’) Establishment of quality marks Significant contribution of the two wine tourism networks of the island and 'Cretan

Quality Agreement' company

Nemea “Organised autonomous package” Association of Wine producers & Wine growers of Nemea School of Viticulture, Oenology and Wine Tourism

Naoussa Very well organised Significant contribution of the network: Company ‘Wines of Northern Greece’ Emphasis on the promotion of natural and cultural resources, as well as sports activities

Santorini Well organised wine tourism product, incorporating luxury activities, too

Less pronounced need for networking Source: Kokkosis & Valassa (2012)

Santorini is a well established mass tourism destination. Nevertheless, various forms of Tourism of

Special Interest have been developed lately in the island. Among these, wine tourism is mostly

developed due to private initiatives and not due to networking, something that, according to the

researchers is related to the character of the island and its small size as a tourist destination. The wine

tourism product offered includes visits to organised wineries of exquisite architecture, traditional

wine cellars, vineyards offering excellent views of the Aegean Sea and restaurants serving local

products and cuisine. Furthermore, one of the special characteristics of the regions ’ wine tourism

product is its interconnection with luxury activities.

Based on the above data, it could be argued that wine tourism in these four regions (Crete, Nemea,

Naoussa, Santorini) is at the maturity stage (see Table 3.1). Nevertheless, there are certain



25

characteristics that differ among the four destinations. For example, in the cases of Santorini and

Crete there are more issues related to sustainable management and exceeding the limits of the

bearing capacity, while the degree of wine producers’ involvement in tourism varies, too.

Another important thing to mention concerns the Strategic plan for branding and marketing of

Branded Greek Wine in Greece and abroad (ΚΕΟSΟΕ, 2013), in which special reference is made to the

opportunities of wine tourism7, while the cases of Metsovo and Mount Athos are examples of

complete wine tourism experiences.

3.3 Characteristics and trends of wine tourism market in Greece and abroad

Since 1995, a number of researchers have attempted to describe the general profile of wine tourists,

taking mainly into consideration their socioeconomic characteristics (Alebaki & Iakovidou, 2011). A

first review of the literature in Australia, New Zealand and U.S.A. (Mitchell et al., 2000: 121)

demonstrates that the wineries’ visitor is between 30 and 50 years old, of medium or high income,

and either originates from the wine-growing region, or resides in an area that is close to the location

of the winery.

At the same time, Treloar et al. (2004), based on the similarities identified in previous research

studies in the above countries, point out that wine tourists are mainly local visitors or domestic

travellers, women, with University degree or higher education and slightly higher than average

income. Other studies have shown that wineries tend to attract couples without children mainly (or

whose children have moved out of the house)8 or families (Getz & Brown, 2006b; Shor & Μansfeld,

2009; Sparks, 2007; Williams & Kelly, 2001), small groups of friends or relatives, smaller or bigger

organised groups for wine tour or general purpose trips to the wine region (Alonso, 2005).

According to the relevant recent review of Alebaki (2012), which concerned both Greece and New

World, it is clear that there are, indeed, differences among regions in terms of wine tourists’

characteristics – and, mainly, in terms of their age, profession and marital status. In addition to this,her findings show that, while in the New World Countries women are the ones who prefer and choose

to participate in wine tourism activities, wine tourism in Europe seems to attract mainly men.

Nevertheless, there are certain characteristics showing consistency. More specifically, it was found

that what mostly characterises participants in wine tourism activities is the high educational and

income level. Moreover, the results of the analysis mentioned above confirm the findings of Mitchell

et al. (2000: 121) which demonstrate that wine tourists come from a region located close to the

winery or the area where the wine related event takes place.

As far as the psychographic characteristics of the participants in wine tourism activities are

concerned, the following have been found:

7 It must be noted that certain regions of the country (Zagorochoria, Pilio, west side of Trikala), show agrotourism developmentdespite the fact that there are no wineries. 8 Case of “empty nest” (Siomkos, 2002:488).



26

To understand both the needs and expectations of wine tourists, those involved in supply should also

examine the factors that motivate people in visiting wine regions. The distinctiveness among the

motives of wine tourists results from the fact that people participating in such activities are both

tourists-travellers as well as consumers of wine. Therefore, their needs are the result of the combined

effect of these two properties (Alant & Bruwer, 2004).

Many research studies, both in Europe and New World Countries, focus on the identification of key

factors motivating participation in wine tourism activities. The most resent literature review (Alebaki,

2012), demonstrates that the principal attraction factor for wine tourists is their desire for tasting.

Furthermore, in many cases it is evident that, through wine tourism, people want to have an

educational experience .

Secondary data regarding the general profile and characteristics of wine tourists throughout Greece

are very limited. The most comprehensive research study was part of a Phd thesis, which was

prepared at the University of the Aegean (Νella, 2012). The results of this research study, in which

517 visitors of selected wineries of the country took part, demonstrate that wine tourism in Greece is

mainly domestic

9

. The majority of wine tourists are of higher educational level; howeverheterogeneity was observed in relation to their income and expenditure for wines.

Almost half of the participants reported that they visited the winery in group tours, suggesting the

contribution of organised collective activities in wine tourism development. Finally, the same study

showed that the most important motive to visit a winery is the collection of information regarding

wine products as well as wine tasting.

3.4 Assessment of wine tourism development in Northern Greece: Study on Supply

As also evident in Section 6.4.4 of Work Package 2.1, all visitable wineries of the Regional Unit of

Ioannina have been included in the Wine Producers Association of the Northern Greece Vineyard. This

9Foreign visitors (1/3 of the sample) come mainly from the U.S.A., Italy, France, United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Canada and

Australia.

Wine tourists…

are mainly regular wine consumers (Getz & Brown, 2006b; Gross & Brown, 2008; Marzo-

Navvaro & Pedraja-Iglesias, 2009).

are knowledgeable about the product (Carlsen, 2004; Mitchell & Hall, 2003; Shor &

Mansfeld, 2009). have some experience related to wine (Treloar et al., 2004) or they are involved in some

kind of wine training. The degree of involvement may vary, including participation in

simple conversations with friends and colleagues, to subscribing in specialised

magazines (O’ Mahony et al., 2006: 34).

seek for easy access at wineries and avoid mass tourism experiences, and usually they

do not participate in organised tours by coach (Getz & Brown, 2006b).

travel in groups of two or more persons, while the time needed to decide on making a

trip varies (Bruwer, 2002b).

visit wineries many times throughout the year (Mitchell et al., 2000: 123; Shor &

Mansfeld, 2009), while “word of mouth” communication is the significant source of

information for them (Bruwer & Reilly, 2006; Mitchell & Hall, 2004). Many researchers

also mention that wine tourism concerns short trips (Alant & Bruwer, 2004; Alebaki &

Iakovidou, 2010; Wade et al., 2010).



27

is why it is useful to further analyse the current situation in relation to wine tourism development

focusing on the Northern part of Greece10

. This analysis will be mainly based on the results of a Phd

Thesis prepared in the School of Agriculture of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Alebaki, 2012).

The previous analysis that was conducted for this Phd thesis led to the conclusion that wine industry

in the Northern part of Greece includes mainly individual small firms, which employ a limited number

of people. The said characteristics are convergent with those of Greek wine making, as presented in

section 3.2.2.

This study showed also that the majority of wineries of Northern Greece are located in Macedonia. A

much smaller number of wineries are located in the Prefecture of Epirus (4)11

. The Regional Unit of

Thessaloniki is the one with the greatest number of enterprises, with the Regional Units of Imathia

and Kavala following it. The smallest number of wineries is located at the Regional Units of Kastoria

(2) and Xanthi (1).

The majority of wine producers of Northern Greece are young married men (below the age of 50

years) of high educational level, whose main profession is wine production. It is also important to

note that while most of the entrepreneurs of Northern Greece state being trained in variousagricultural issues, only a small number of them have been educated on business administration or

tourism, thus giving rise to concern.

Wine tourism development in Northern Greece is a relatively recent phenomenon and is mainly due

to joint actions, according to the bottom up approach. Indeed, according to the Phd thesis’ results,

most of the region’s wineries improved their infrastructure for visitors during 2006 -2010. There is also

a significant number of enterprises that got involved in tourism during 2001-2005, which is similar to

the period of the expansion of the Wine Producers Association of the Macedonian Vineyard

(ΕΝ.Ο.Α.Μ.) at the regions of Thessaly, Epirus and Thrace (and its renaming as ΕΝ.Ο.Α.V.Ε.).

Generally speaking, wine tourism at the Northern part of Greece seems to be at the stage of

development (Tomljenović, 2006; Tomljenović & Getz, 2009, see Tables 3.1, 3.3). The significant

number of wineries, tourist facilities and services, events12

as well as synergies among most individual

wine regions demonstrates further the above mentioned finding, despite the fact that the degree of

wine producers’ involvement with tourism is small overall13 , in comparison to that observed in other

countries14

. However there is still room for optimism, firstly because more than half of the managers

of wineries that cannot be visited state that tourism activities development is among the priorities of

the enterprise, and secondly due to the intention of the majority of entrepreneurs already involved in

tourism to expand existing activities.

10The geographical area of the vineyard of Northern Greece extends from the Ionian Sea in the West to Evros River in the East,

with Mount Olympus as its natural South boundary (North latitude approximately 40°) (Branded Greek Wine, 2012).11It should be mentioned that the number of wine makers of the Regional Unit of Ioannina seems to be smaller, due to the fact

that during the time of empirical research Papathanasiou winery was not included in the sources of data collection.

12In recent years, the growing success and the introduction of venues such as the "Open Doors" is documented by the number

of people visiting the wineries of EN.O.A.V.E.: 3,000 in 2006, 5,700 in 2009, 7,000 in 2010, 8,500 in 2011, more than 8,000 in

2012. In addition to this, in 2010, five wineries of Western Crete that participated in “Open Doors” welcomed 1,000 visitors(ΕΝ.Ο.Α.V.Ε., 2012, personal communication with networks’ leaders). Based on the data from studies focusing on wine events

(Alebaki & Iakovidou, 2010), “Open Doors” give a chance to people living in urban centres of Northern Greece, in particular, to

come in touch with wine tourism.13

When all entrepreneurs are considered, 40% of them has not yet developed wine tourism activities. Among them, 54.5%

answer that the involvement of their enterprise in tourism is among their immediate plans.14

The percentage of visitable wineries in Germany is 60% (Official Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Valladolid, 2005, in:

Marzo-Navvaro & Pedraja-Iglesias, 2010). At Goriska Brda of Slovenia, 80% of wineries can be visited, while in Mejimurje and

Plešivica of Croatia this percentage reaches 71.42% (Jurincic & Bojnec, 2009). In Australia, 70.7% of wineries have specially

designed areas for direct allocation products to visitors (cellar doors) (Winetitles, 2008, in Alonso & Liu, 2010).



28

The map presents an overall picture of the geographical distribution of visitable wineries that

participated in the study of Alebaki (2012) in Northern Greece (Picture 3.1). Based on the results

obtained, it is possible to distinguish among sub-regions with different characteristics of wine tourism

development. Thus, assuming that viticulture and wine production, sufficient number of wineries,

general infrastructure and accessibility in urban and tourist centres are all prerequisites for the

development of wine tourism (Getz & Brown, 2006a), it can be argued that the Regional Units of Thessaloniki, Imathia and Kavala show the greatest potential.

The above mentioned conclusion is based, primarily, on the theoretical argument about the “critical

mass” (Getz & Brown, 2006a, Jurinčič & Bojnec, 2009). As shown by the results of the inventory, the

largest number of enterprises, as well as the majority of visitable wineries, are located in these three

Regional Units.

Apart from high quality wine production, vicinity of the wineries of these regions to urban or coastal

tourist centres seems to give them a significant competitive advantage. In addition to this, the

undeniable contribution of specific enterprises in distinguishing the above mentioned regions

confirms the theoretical view that the installation of “landmark wineries” enhances the growth

prospects of wine tourism and encourages respective initiatives by smaller enterprises.



29

Picture 3.1 Geographical distribution of visitable wineries of Northern Greece. Source: Alebaki, 2012



32

Figure 4.1. Tourist resources of the Regional Unit of Ioannina

Generally speaking, accommodation facilities’ level is considered satisfactory. According to data of the

Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (2013), at the Prefecture of Epirus more than half of lodgings are located

at the Regional Unit of Ioannina (53%). However, to date greater tourist activity is observed at the

eastern part of the Regional Unit, and, more specifically, at Metsovo, Zagorochoria, Ioannina and

Tzoumerka, where most existing facilities have been developed. On the other hand, the areas of Zitsa,

Dodoni and Pogoni have the smallest number of accommodation facilities at this Regional Unit.

As far as quality standards of the hotels are concerned, it was found that most of those are three

(42.6%) or two (31.4%) star hotels. The city of Ioannina has the greatest number of luxury or five-star

hotels, while the area of Zagorochoria has 59,0% of all four-star hotels. Moreover, the area has a

significant number of tourist facilities (catering and recreational facilities, shops selling local, tourismand other folk art products, etc).

The diversity of tourism resources led to the development of different forms of Special and

Alternative Forms of Tourism. The most important among them are presented in Table 4.2.



35

Picture 4.1 Distribution of wineries at the Prefecture of Epirus



36

4.2.3 Level of wine tourism development

Only three of the five wineries have developed synergies with tourism industry (Katogi Averoff,

Domaine Glinavos S.A. and Zoinos (Cooperative Winery of Epirus SA). As far as existing facilities are

concerned for visitors, primary research (see Section 6.4.4, Work Package 2.1) demonstrated that allthe Prefecture’s visitable wineries have a lounge for tastings, outdoor facilities, and retail point of

sale. The shops offer mainly products produced by the winery, while it also important to underline

that only atone of the three wineries other products are also available, apart from wines. Two

enterprises also have catering facilities; however, these facilities are not within the wineries.

Accommodation facilities are available in one of the three wineries only, something that confirms

previous findings, according to which Northern Greece’s wine producers do not provide

accommodation facilities in most cases (Alebaki, 2012).

Primary research showed also that the offered wine tourism product of entrepreneurs at the Regional

Unit of Ioannina includes the following:

An organised tour at the winery

Tasting and selling products produced at the winery

Printed material and

Organisation of various events focusing on wine

Audiovisual presentation for the visitors is only available at one of the three wineries, while no winery

is available for social events. Moreover, all three wineries of the Regional Unit are open for visitors

throughout the week, not only in working hours, upon request.

Enterprises’ representatives stated that the wineries can host more than fifty visitors at the same

time, while the capacity of one of the three wineries is for up to one hundred visitors. It should also

be mentioned that in 2012, enterprises managed to have an income that did not exceed 10% of theproceeds generated from the total product sales over the same period, through the selling of

products to their visitors (cellar door sales).

To date, the relatively limited potential of wine tourism as a sector of economic activity at the region

is also evident through the limited number of people involved in hosting and guiding visitors (2-3).

Nevertheless, the fact that two of the three representatives of the visitable wineries expressed their

intention to expand wine tourism activities in the future is extremely optimistic.

As far as the promotion methods used are concerned, research data demonstrated that wine tourism

enterprises in the Regional Unit of Ioannina combine various promotion methods, such as

advertisements in specialist publications related to wine or other printed forms. Furthermore, all

three visitable wineries have a website or they are promoted online through other means, and they

all have a sign outside the company's premises.

In addition to this, despite the fact that one of the three wineries is the only one collaborating with

tourist offices, all region’s visitable wineries are included in the Wine Producers Association of the

Northern Greece Vineyard. Among the eight roads designed by ENOAVE, the “Road of Epirus”

straddles the Regional Unit of Ioannina, the vineyards of Zitsa and Metsovo, in particular. Apart from

the wineries, the wine tourism network of Northern Greece includes two catering facilities (Metsovo

and Vitsa) and four lodgings (three in Metsovo and one in Aristi).

The map of Picture 4.2 presents the geographical distribution of wineries, as well as lodgings in each

of the eight tourist destinations of the Regional Unit of Ioannina, as identified in Section 3.2 of theprevious Work Package.



39

research community. This method was chosen, despite its difficulties and requirements, both in terms

of time and in terms of costs, as it allows: 1. the collection of information for the in depth study of the

relationships between interest groups (Reed et al., 2009), 2. the examination of issues that had not

been predetermined and 3. understanding the attitudes and perceptions of interviewees regarding

wine tourism development (Iosifidis, 2003).

During the interviews snowball sampling was employed in order to identify more representatives of

interest groups with similar characteristics, who could provide us useful information (Goodman,

2011). According to this technique, the selection of additional subjects (stakeholders) is based on

recommendations from other members of the sample, who participated already in the process of

interview (Psarrou & Zafiropoulos, 2001). Upon the identification of the saturation point (Timur &

Getz, 2008), when the collection of new data cannot provide any additional new information, the

process is completed.

The questions are based on the Theory of Interest Groups and they have been formulated according

to previous research studies focusing on similar objectives (Cheng et al. 2012; Frooman, 1999):

All interviews were transcribed from the recordings and the results obtained have contributed both to

the final structure of the quantitative research questionnaire and, on the other hand, to the

identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to the development of wine

tourism in the Regional Unit of Ioannina. The following ancillary methods were also used:

A. non participant observation, which does not require the observer’s involvement in the

activities of subjects being observed and

B. participant observation, in which the observer is also part of the environment under study

(Karakiza, 2012).

The previously mentioned techniques are fundamental tools of field work (Paschaliori & Miliesi, 2005)

and allow the investigation of social behaviours and processes in their “natural” environment, as they

happen, as well as the collection of in-depth information (Iosifidis, 2003).

5.3 Quantitative research

In the second stage of the research study quantitative data were collected, through an independently

administered, structured questionnaire, which was posted in various sites22

, together with an

invitation to participate in the study23

. Following the completion of the questionnaire, it was sent back

using e-mail.

22 Official website of the Prefecture of Epirus, http://epirusgate.blogspot.nl/, http://epirusworld.blogspot.nl,

http://www.ert.gr/, etc.23

The text of the Invitation includes the identity and purpose of the research study.

1. What is your opinion about the development of wine tourism at the Regional Unit of

Ioannina?

2. In your opinion, who are the key interest groups – stakeholders for the development of

wine tourism in this region? Why?

3. For wine tourism development to be successful in the region, how could interest groups

cooperate?



41

the most widely accepted and accurate method for the measurement of reliability (Churchill, 1995, in:

Priporas et al., 2000) in the sense of internal consistency (Traub, 1994, in: Koutsiouba et al., 2005).

The a-Cronbach coefficient is specified as the correlation coefficient of a measuring scale to the ideal-

real, which theoretically consists of infinite-possibly-suggestions and measures with absolute

accuracy, without error, what is intended to measure (Nunnally & Bernstein, 2006). As a convention,

indices of 0.80 or more are considered satisfactory, although some authors consider lower indices as

satisfactory24

.

In addition to this, ensuring reliability is sought through the use of tools that have been proven as

reliable in previous studies (Babbie, 2010: 153). The calculation of a global reliability index is

meaningless, as each questionnaire consists of separate sections-criteria, which aim at exploring

dimensions with conceptual differences (Botonaki, 2007: 123).

Validity testing of the conceptual tool is carried out using Principal Component Analysis with Varimax

rotation of factor axes, as well as through the calculation of Discrimination Indices (Nunnally &

Bernstein, 2006).

24 According to Nunnally & Bernstein (2006), in the initial stages of a research study, values of a Cronbach coefficient between

0.50 and 0.60 are acceptable too. Other authors consider as acceptable values above 0.60 (Malhotra 1996) or 0.70 (Bryman &

Bell, 2003:164).



42

6. CONCLUSIONS AND OVERALL DIAGNOSIS

6.1 Primary research results

Tables 6.1, 6.2, 6.3 and 6.4 summarise the data concerning the participants of the qualitative

research, the design and methodology of which were described in detail in Section 5.2.

Table 6.1 Bodies of the Wine Sector

BODY / TITLE FULL NAME DATE OF INTERVIEW

WINE INDUSTRY REPRESENTATIVES

WINERIES Winery 1 Chief Executive Manager, former president of ΕDΟΑΟ 05/04/2013

Winery 2 Chief Executive Manager 29/03/2013

Winery 3 President and Chief Executive Manager 14/03/2013

Exports Manager 14/03/2013Chemist - Oenologist 14/03/2013

Winery 4 Wine producer 14/03/2013

Winery 5 Wine producer 14/03/2013

VITICULTURE Wine grower Wine grower Wine grower Wine grower Wine grower Wine grower Wine grower

COOPERY Barrel construction in Metsovo 30/03/2013

BOTTLING Bottling facility in Metsovo 07/04/2013VINEGAR INDUSTRY Chemist, Phd in Oenology, Producer of traditional and

aged vinegar 05/04/2013

ZITSA WINE GROWERS

ASSOCIATION President Refused

ΕΝΟΑVΕ Phd in Oenology – Wine producer, Former president of

ENOAVE 14/05/2013

Director of the Wine Roads 20/05/2013

Table 6.2 Bodies of the Tourist Sector


CATERING AND ACCOMMODATION ENTERPRISES

Enterprise affiliated with thewine road of Epirus Restaurant - guesthouse owner 30/03/2013

Enterprise affiliated with the

wine road of Epirus Restaurant owner Enterprise affiliated with the

wine road of Epirus Owner of complex of stone buildings

Restaurant - Cafeteria President of the Association of Cafe-Bar-Restaurants 15/03/2013

OTHER ENTERPRISES Hotel and General Tourism

Office Hotel and general tourism office owner 30/03/2013

Outdoor activities Trip Leader of the International Rafting Federation

(IRF)- Guidance in hiking activities 28/03/2013

Rooms to rent and folk art

products

President 29/03/2013

UNIONS OF HOTEL OWNERS



43

IOANNINA Public relations manager 29/03/2013

KONITSA President ZAGORI President 09/04/2013

METSOVO President 03/04/2013

PAPIGO President CHAMBER OF IOANNINA Treasurer 15/03/2013

Table 6.3 Bodies of Local Government Organisations


Local Government Organisation (OTA) PREFECTURE OF EPIRUS Prefect 15/03/2013

Agronomist 19/04/2013

MUNICIPALITIES IOANNINA President of Quality of Life and Tourism Committee 15/03/2013

ZAGORI Mayor 09/04/2013

KONITSA Mayor 29/03/2013

POGONI Deputy Mayor and Agronomist - Oenologist 08/04/2013

METSOVO President of the Union of Hotel Owners and Deputy

Mayor

03/04/2013

ZITSA Deputy Mayor 15/03/2013

DODONI Mayor 08/04/2013

NORTH TZOUMERKA Economist, Expert Partner 11/04/2013

Table 6.4 Educational bodies and local community members


EDUCATIONAL BODIES / SPECIALISED EXPERTS STATE GENERAL

LABORATORY Director 29/03/2013

UNIVERSITY OF IOANNINA Lecturer – Department of History and Archaeology Lecturer – Department of History and Archaeology 09/04/2013

LOCAL POPULATION Resident of the Municipality of Ioannina 29/03/2013Resident of the Municipality of Konitsa 08/04/2013

The interviews that were conducted with the above mentioned bodies during the period between

14/03-20/05/2013, as well as the processing of quantitative analysis’ data, led to certain useful

conclusion, the most important of which are summarised below:

Viticulture industry

Wine production is an integral part of lifestyle, not only for the residents of Regional Unit of

Ioannina but also for all residents of Epirus.

The quality of products produced in the region is high; however, there is still no establishedand recognised wine brand. Furthermore, it was also mentioned that in certain cases

vinification is based on raw ingredients that are not produced within the Regional Unit of

Ioannina, something that raises issues of sustainability of Epirus vineyard and preservation of

indigenous varieties.

Some of the bodies refer to the necessity for a radical restructuring of vineyards, as well as

the revision of the Vinicultural zone (PDO wines), which so far includes only the area of Zitsa.

According to the bodies this action would also be crucial for the development of wine

tourism.

Another issue that came up from both the quantitative and the qualitative research is related

to the inclusion of more varieties in the Vinicultural zone (PDO wines) apart from Debina,

such as Bekari and Vlachiko. The latter is recognised as a variety of “great interest that could

change the region”.



46

In Konitsa, despite its relative viticultural tradition, all activities are limited in domestic

vinification. Lately, though, younger people of the region have started focusing on viticulture.

In Zagoria, despite the significant development during the last decades, tourism industry has

been affected considerably by the economic crises as well as by the issues that have already

been analysed above. Another point mentioned by one of the bodies is the poor pricing

policy, particularly in catering industry.

6.2 SWOT Analysis Results

The results of SWOT Analysis for the Prefecture of Epirus regarding wine tourism development are

presented in Tables 6.5., 6.6., 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, 6.10, 6.11 and 6.12. For reasons arising from the

conceptual content of this particular type of tourism (see Fig. 3.2, Work Package 2.1), the distinction

between two basic fields of analysis was selected: The first one includes issues purely related to wine,

while the second concerns issues related to the region’s tourism potential. Recording the Strengths,

Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats will form the basis for the determination of the strategies to

be followed for the development of wine tourism in the region.

Table 6.5 SWOT Analysis – Strengths of wine industry

STRENGTHS

Favourable soil and climate conditions for the development of viticulture

The relative large number of active wine producers

The long tradition and the interconnection between viticulture and wine production (as well as spirits)

with local culture and the region's social capital

The indigenous vine varieties (Debina, Vlachico, Bekari)

Excellent quality of produced wines

Production of one PDO wine and three PGI wines from the region’s wineries

Selection of the wine "Zitsa Semi sparkling 2011” as “Ambassador-Representative of New Wines of

Greece”

All other awards of the region’s wineries

Reconstruction of the cooperative winery and its administration by trained personnel – Application of

modern marketing methods

The inclusion of all three visitable wineries of the region in the Wine Road of Epirus, which already has a

brand.

The presence of a landmark winery at the region

Small size of most wineries Facilitates contact with winemaker / conditions for customer loyalty

Organisation of cultural events focusing on wine and spirits

Participation of the region’s visitable wineries in “Open Doors” event, which is now held at national level

increased visibility



50

Table 6.9 SWOT Analysis – Strengths of tourism industry

STRENGTHS

Level of infrastructure for accessing the region (Egnatia Motorway, close to ports, airport)

The fact that is located close to urban centres (of Northern Greece, in particular) and areas with

already developed mass tourism (beach of neighbouring RUs, Ionian Islands) source of potential

visitors

Clean environment, free from external interventions altering its beauty

The diversity of natural tourism resources in the broader area (mountains, beaches, lakes, rivers, etc.)

favours the development of different forms of tourism

The RU of Ioannina has the greatest number of forests in the Prefecture of Epirus

Tourism and other available facilities (many accommodation facilities, restaurants, shops with local

products, etc)

Traditional architecture (settlements with special characteristics that were preserved over time

Historic and religious tradition, as well as cultural heritage (places to be visited, museums, monuments,

monasteries, customs and traditions, folklore, traditional economic activities and occupations)

Presence of natural (Theogefiro, Hill of Profitis Ilias with vineyards), cultural (connection with Lord

Byron) and religious (Monastery of Profitis Ilias, Fathers Monastery) tourist resources in Zitsa, which

are not exploited

Gastronomy and local traditional food products

The strong brand name of Epirus as a producer of high quality food products

Strong presence of primary sector, livestock farming in particular, which could be helpful for tourism

(there are 17 ISO certified creameries)

Recent action of representatives from Local Government Organisations (OTA) aiming at attracting

tourists from Albania, Turkey, Israel and other markets (meetings, participation in exhibitions,

territorial cooperation programmes, etc)

Everyday living and hospitality of the local population

Increased demand for special and alternative forms of tourism in the region – Metsovo, Zagorochoria

well-established agro-tourism-ecotourism destinations – City of Ioannina urban tourism destination

Integration of various activities in the tourism product, outdoor recreational activities in particular.

Low population density in mountain villages - conditions for promoting wine tourism as an

opportunity for relaxation and escape from urban environment



51

Table 6.10 SWOT Analysis – Weaknesses of tourism industry

WEAKNESSES

Absence of infrastructure for international flights at the airport of Ioannina

Geographical concentration of tourist attractions in specific areas within the Regional Unit of Ioannina

Relatively difficult access to the mountainous tourism destinations of the region

The weather conditions in the region, which are often unfavourable

Downward trend and demographic aging of population

High unemployment rate

Limited financial resources, which make investments difficult

Insufficient supporting facilities in many tourism destinations with the RU (e.g. sewerage network in the

area of Zitsa)

Weak interconnection between tourism and gastronomy/ insufficient integration of local food products

to the tourism product offered

Low level of catering facilities and services at the city of Ioannina

So far, tourism development in the RU of Ioannina was not following a strategy

Significant lack of tourism facilities at the wine area of Zitsa

Pricing of tourism services in many regions (expensive accommodation, wines, local restaurants, etc)

Lack of cooperation and culture of dialogue among stakeholders in the region - Lack of networking and

team spirit - Introversion - Fragmentation of clubs/ associations

Bureaucratic problems

Low level of training of involved parties in relation to tourism and business management

Lack of tourism culture (of both tourism professionals and local population), identified in many cases

Quality and character of cultural events

Lack of specialised personnel and ‘know-how’ in relation to the organisation and holding of events,

sales, provision of tourism services etc

Small number of 4 and 5 star hotels, given that wine tourism is usually the choice of visitors with

income above the average

Insufficient signage of the wine road of Epirus

Limited promotion of archaeological places, monuments and other points of touristic interest

Inadequate exploitation of cultural characteristics of Zitsa (Lord Byron)

Problems with incoming tour operators – Lack of an organised tourist package

Small stay of tourists at the region (average overnight stays: 1)



55

7. PRESENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF

WINE TOURISM IN THE REGIONAL UNIT OF IOANNINA

7.1 Formation of general strategy

7.1.1 Target setting

During the preparation of the business plan for the development of wine tourism in the Regional Unit

of Ioannina, an attempt was made to answer the following questions:

1. Which are the necessary actions to be made?

2. Which are the sectors we could invest? (wine industry, local products, culture, natural

environment)

3. In which fields should our actions be focused? (Increase in local sales or long-term benefits

for the wineries? Tour in the vineyards? Participation of locals?)

4. Which is the preferred type of tourist? (Daily visitors? Attracting tourists from the coasts of

neighbouring areas? Urban residents?)

5. What is the product we want to promote? (Gourmet meals at local restaurants? Urban

tourism and provision of one-day packages? Religious monuments?)

6. In what ways do we advertise? (Communication Tools)

In this stage, the following are deemed absolutely necessary:

Consultation: discussion among all stakeholders regarding the existing situation and

prospects of wine tourism development

Determination of the kind and type of tourism development we want to achieve

Investigation on the actions contributing in the formation of the wine tourism brand

Exchange of ideas with organisations / individuals from other regions

Case studies of successful wine tourism development of other destinations in order to

identify examples of good practice.

7.1.2 Formulation of vision

The preceding analysis contributed both to the identification of stakeholders’ attitudes regarding

wine tourism development and also highlighted a range of developmental needs that have to be

prioritised. Recording, assessment and prioritisation of strengths and weaknesses, as depicted in the

SWOT analysis matrix, summarises the key axes of strategic planning. In particular, the general vision

for wine tourism in the Regional Unit of Ioannina in the next five years can be formulated as follows:

The growth of the perceived value of wine and gourmet products of the Regional Unit of

Ioannina and their contribution in the establishment of the area as a tourist destination,

which provides complete, authentic and high quality experiences.



56

7.1.3 Overall strategy

The proposed overall strategy for tourism development of the Regional Unit of Ioannina is based on

the tourist character of the area, and the previous discussion with the stakeholders. Given its role as a

producer of high quality agro-food products, and as a tourism destination with significant natural

resources, the Regional Unit of Ioannina should make use of all available competitive advantages to

enable its establishment on the tourist map.

Therefore, the general strategic objectives for the development of wine tourism include the

following:

1. The improvement of the image of wines produced in the Regional Unit of Ioannina, and their

establishment in consumers’ perception as high quality products at good value for money.

2. Preservation and enhancement of the wine tradition, gastronomic wealth, historical and

cultural heritage, as well as the exceptionally beautiful natural environment of the Regional

Unit of Ioannina.3. Raising awareness towards wine and viticultural regions of the Regional Unit of Ioannina as

tourist destinations and the integration of wine tourism as a product in the overall tourism

image of the region.

4. Creation of authentic and high quality experiences -focusing on wine and gastronomy.

5. Creation of added value for the wines produced and income growth resulting from the

marketing of products to visitors.

6. Extension of visitors’ length of stay at the area and increase of the proportion of repeated

visits.

7. Expansion of the tourism activities offered and improvement of the existing infrastructure

and tourist attractions of the region.

8. Preservation and development of the distinctive identity of each individual tourist

destination within the Regional Unit of Ioannina, through diversification of the tourism

product offered , depending on the local particularities.

7.2 Axes and measures

Enhancing wine tourism competitiveness in the Regional Unit of Ioannina requires the improvement

of the tourist experience quality, and the creation of added value in providing products and services.

In this framework, for the period 2013-2018, it is suggested that wine tourism development strategy

in the Regional Unit of Ioannina should be implemented according to the following axes:



59

MEASURE 4.1 ACTIONS Networking at local

level 4.1.1 Establishment of a project team at Regional Unit level, in which all

interest groups will participate

MEASURE 4.2 ACTIONS

Joint actions for the

development of wine

and tourism culture

4.2.1 Identification and promotion of business activities in the wine

tourism industry

4.2.2 Promotion of good practices

4.2.3 Synergies with social infrastructure

MEASURE 4. 3 ACTIONS

Development of

cross-regional and

cross-border

cooperation

4.3.1 Cooperation with other wine tourism networks in Greece and abroad

4.3.2 Collaboration with other bodies in order to promote common

interests

MEASURE 5.1 ACTIONS

Creation of a tourist

brand with wine and

gastronomy as the

central axis

5.1.1 Formation of the main gastronomic basis

5.1.2 Construction of the region’s tourist brand according to itscomparative advantages

5.1.3 Integration of experiences related to wine and gastronomy in the

region’s tourist campaign 5.1.4 Organisation of events focusing on wine and gastronomy

5.1.5 Participation in promoting actions

MEASURE 5.2 ACTIONS

Promotion of local

characteristics of

each individual

destination of the RU

5.2.1 Establishment of “wine tourism map”

5.2.2 Preparation and digitisation of a “Tourist Guide”

5.2.3 Establishment of visitors’ office in each Municipality

MEASURE 6.1 ACTIONS

Incorporation of wine

and local cuisine in

restaurants and

points of touristic

interest in Greece

and abroad

6.1.1 Exploration of the possibility to enter in restaurants in Greece and

abroad

6.2.2 Cooperation with bodies that have already developed successfully

similar actions e.g. Insmart

MEASURE 6.2 ACTIONS

Exports of wine and

tourism 6.2.1 Study the supply chain of wine exports

AXIS 4: DEVELOPMENT OF SYNERGIES

AXIS 5: COMMUNICATION POLICY AND PROMOTION

AXIS 6: FOSTERING ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN THE WINE INDUSTRY



63

Picture 8.1 Points of the proposed Wine Road of Epirus



64

1.1.3 Actions to promote and enhance the signage of the wine road

A particularly important issue for the promotion of the Wine Road concerns the placement of road

signs indicating “Wine Roads of Northern Greece – Tour in the Wine Road of Epirus” in the following

locations:

1. Egnatia Motorway, before the entrance to Metsovo

2. Two or three central spots at the city of Ioannina (e.g. Prefecture of Epirus & Molos area)

3. Region of Zitsa, at the locations shown in Figure 8.2

Picture 8.2 Region of Zitsa – Proposed locations for the placement of signs for the Wine Road of Epirus. Source: Google earth

Picture 8.3 Region of Metsovo – Proposed locations for the placement of signs for the Wine Road of

Epirus. Source: Google earth



71

Table 8.4. Measures and Actions of the first Axis of the Business PlanAXIS 1 OFFERING A COMPLETE WINE TOURISM EXPERIENCE MEASURE 1.1 ACTIONS Improvement of the wine

road of Epirus 1.1.1 Establishment of a wine tourism network at local level 1.1.2 Enrichment of existing wine road of Epirus with points of tourist interest 1.1.3 Actions to promote and enhance the signage of the wine road 1.1.4 Establishment of quality standards

MEASURE 1.2 ACTIONS Linking wine tourism

with other forms of

tourism

1.2.1 Inclusion of wine in tourism options

1.2.2 Linking wine tourism to the production of local food products

MEASURE 1.3 ACTIONS Exploration of tourist

market’s needs 1.3.1 Research on tourism market and utilisation of available data 1.3.2 Market segmentation 1.3.3 Maintenance of visitors’ database by tourism enterprises and wineries

MEASURE 2.1 Exploitation of wine heritage

Action 2.1.1: Recording and identification of indigenous vine varieties

Indigenous wine grape varieties constitute a valuable but untapped natural capital (Xidakis, 2007),

which could contribute significantly in the differentiation of the offered wine product of the region.

Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to conduct a research study aiming at:

1. full recording of indigenous varieties

2. identification of varieties using ampelographic and molecular methods

3. their preservation and exploitation, as well as

4. experimental winemaking in order to evaluate the potential of these varieties.

Particular attention should be paid on the preservation of varieties cultivated in limited areas and are

at risk of extinction. To achieve this, within the framework of new plantings and the restructuring

programme of the European vineyard, the establishment of model vineyards would be extremely

useful, both at a central point in the city of Ioannina (based on the model of the urban vineyard of

Thessaloniki), and in the regions of Zitsa, Metsovo and Konitsa.

Action 2.1.2: Creation and digitisation of archive on wine heritage

The goal of this action is to collect and digitise data relating to the history of viticulture and to the

production of wine products in the region, the exact number of wine growers, land in acres,quantities of produced wine, spirits and other vine products, as well as traditional tools and employed

viticulture and wine making methods.

Subsequently, the creation of an “ampelographic atlas” would be useful for the revival of the vineyard

of Epirus (Xidakis, 2007), which would contain all the indigenous grape varieties, and details for each

of them.

Action 2.1.3: Expansion of the Vinicultural zone (PDO wines)

In 1972, under the threat of complete extinction of Debina variety, the Viticultural Zone of Zitsa was

institutionalised as a wine of High Quality Appellation of Origin (VQPRD, ΒD 183, GG 40/Α/17.03.1972

and 228173, GG 287/b/27.04.72) and for white dry wines only (Logothetis, 2006). This particular

region includes the vineyards of six settlements of the Municipality with the same name (Zitsa,Karitsa, Ligopsa, Gavrisioi, Protopappas, Klimatia. Picture 8.4). The zone in its greatest part is at the

AXIS 2: PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF WINE HERITAGE



74

Figure 8.1 Key components of wine tourism product in the Regional Unit of Ioannina

Table 8.5 summarises the measures and actions of the second Axis.

Table 8.5. Measures and Actions of the second Axis of the Business PlanAXIS 2 PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF WINE HERITAGE MEASURE 2.1 ACTIONS Exploitation of wine

heritage 2.1.1 Recording and identification of indigenous vine varieties 2.1.2 Creation and digitisation of archive on wine heritage 2.1.3. Expansion of the Vinicultural zone PDO wines

MEASURE 2.2 ACTIONS Preservation of cultural

heritage 2.2.1 Creation and digitisation of archive on cultural heritage 2.2.2 Selection of the elements to be used as key components of the new tourism

brand of the region



76

Agricultural education will be based on the combination of theoretical courses as well as practical

classes, in accordance to the information discussed in detail above. The seminars’ instructors will be

members of the academic community, exerts as well as business operators. The modules that could

be included in the seminar programme are presented indicatively below:

Provision of technical training

Viticulture

Wine production – Oenology – Innovation – Consumer insights

Principles of organic agriculture - Integrated Production Management

Precision viticulture

Plant protection - Cultivation Techniques - Land Improvements

Environment and Climate Change

Certification in the Agricultural Sector

Provision of socioeconomic training

Integrated rural / sustainable development - Principles of Sustainability - Ecology

Rural economy

Agricultural policy

Rural Sociology

Agricultural Community Development

Rural Accounting

Marketing of agricultural products

Management of agricultural holdings

Cooperation

Agrotourism

Wine-related activities Connection to history, culture and preservation of the rural landscape

The geographical dispersion of the premises where seminars will be held is also proposed, so that to

facilitate participants in attending them. The implementation of a second series of seminars of 40

hours is also proposed for the areas of Zitsa and Metsovo, where the vast majority of wine producers

is located. In such cases, the modules included in the seminars will be adapted to the special issues

(needs, problems etc) of the local population, while producers from other municipalities may also

participate.

Action 3.1.2: Training on wine and tourism

Previous studies have demonstrated that, while wine producers have a broad range of knowledge on

wine production, in many cases their knowledge on issues related to tourism is very limited (Αlebaki

et al., 2013; Hall et al., 2000). Knowledge on wine tourists’ actual and potential needs is even more

limited (Bruwer & Alant, 2009; Carlsen, 2004). Sometimes particular focus on the product is also

observed, making wine tourism a less immediate priority for winemakers. Nevertheless, the varying

level of commitment of those involved with regard to the requirements of the particular business

activity affects the entire region's wine tourism development. As noted characteristically by Sparks &



79

Table 8.7 Greek bodies for tourism development

BODY WEBSITE

Interdepartmental Master Programme in “Tourism Planning,Management and Policy”, University of the Aegean

http://tourism-pms.aegean.gr/

Master Programme in Business Management - Tourism Management,

University of Piraeus

http://www.unipi.gr/akad_tmhm/org

_dioik_epix/metapt/pms/org_dioik_epix_metapt_pms_index.html

Interdepartmental Master Programme in Management of Hosting

Enterprises http://mba.uom.gr/

Master Programme in Tourism Management - Greek Open University http://www.eap.gr/dte.php

Department of Tourism Economics & Development at National School

of Public Administration http://www.enap.gr/index.php?optio

n=com_content&view=article&id=688

4&Itemid=69

Harokopio University http://www.hua.gr/

Department of Tourism Management, TEI of Athens http://www.teiath.gr/sdo/new_touris

t_enterprises/

Department of Tourism Management, TEI of Piraeus http://www.teipir.gr/

Department of Tourism Management, TEI of Patras http://tour.teipat.gr/

Department of Tourism Management, TEI of Thessaloniki http://www.tour.teithe.gr/

Department of Tourism Management, TEI of Larissa http://www.teilar.gr

/tmimata/tmima.php?tid=10

Department of Tourism Management, TEI of Heraclion http://www.tour.teicrete.gr/

Department of Tourism Management, TEI of Epirus http://tour.ioa.teiep.gr/

General Secretariat for Lifelong Learning: Public and Private

Vocational Training Institutes (IEK) Various disciplines in the field of

tourism

Higher Training Institutes of the Ministry of Tourism – Former

Organisation of Tourism Education and Training (OTEK) http://www.otek.edu.gr/

HPC- Subsidised Seminars and Training Programmes

Apprenticeship Vocational Schools (EPAS) of the Public Employment

of the Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) http://www.oaed.gr/

Private tourism education More than 25 laboratories of liberal

studies certified by independent

bodies or accredited by foreign

universities38

It is also worth noting that Greek vocational Lyceums offer fields and specialisations of agricultural

science, food production, as well as tourism. Furthermore there are bodies, that provide education in

the broadest sense, through their involvement in short-term training courses of various specialties or

they are distinguished for their research activities (Institute of Vine and Wine of the Ministry of Rural

Development and Food, Central Cooperative Union of Wine Products, National Interprofessional

Organisation of Vine and Wine, National Agricultural Research Foundation, etc.).

Finally, wine clubs could also play a significant role to achieve this goal. Apart from their contribution

in consumers’ education on “wine”' and in increasing involvement39

) with the product, wine clubs are

holding either trips to the wine region or provide information regarding opportunities for wine

tourism trips. So far there is no similar body in the Regional Unit of Ioannina and, thus, it is proposed

to undertake promotional activities for the establishment of such a body.

38 Dimopoulou (2011), ICAP (2008)39

Involvement is a concept of psychology referring to the level of relative importance or interest in an object, activity, product

or service (Sheth & Mittal, 2004).



83

Regional Unit (Multipurpose Rooms of Municipalities, Chambers, etc). The said events will be of

informative nature, focusing on the principles of local development, the concept of wine tourism

and the philosophy of the Wine Roads. They will essentially be an invitation towards local wine

producers, wine growers, catering, hosting and recreational activities’ entrepreneurs and other

parties to participate in the wine tourism network, which is proposed to be established (Action

1.1.1).

Action 4.2.2: Promotion of good practices

This action relates to the identification, utilisation and promotion of good practices in the wine

tourism industry, according to examples either from local community, or from other places of

Greece and abroad. More specifically, as far as local level is concerned, the selection of wine

varieties, specific labels, excellent quality wines or from organically grown grapes is proposed as

“Ambassadors” of Epirus, according to the standards specified in the “ Strategic Plan for Branded

Greek Wine” (following objective evaluation by an independent group of experts)44

.

It would also be advisable to record all good practices employed by the entrepreneurs of the

Regional Unit of Ioannina, who are engaged in the broader wine tourism field. The promotion of good practices’ examples could serve as a means of advertising the “wine tourism experiences-

ambassadors of Epirus” .

In addition to this, the promotion of enterprises implementing those practices could serve as an

example – guide for other enterprises that wish to be involved in wine tourism activities, while

helping to address bad practices, as well as unfair competition (PRC Group, 2010). Finally,

commitment on the part of entrepreneurs is also recommended, to avoid trading of non standard or

anonymous wine products.

Action 4.2.3: Synergies with social infrastructure

Aiming at the improvement of the quality of available tourism services and in order to enrich theavailable activities, the development of synergies between wine tourism industry and social

infrastructure and services sector, such as education, culture, welfare services, sports, transport and

communications, etc., is also suggested.

For example, the following bodies could collaborate for the implementation of this particular action:

1. Open Care Centres for the elderly (KAPI) and other social care services etc

2. Libraries, intellectual and cultural centres

3. Universities, schools and other educational institutions

4. Sports clubs and other sport organisations

5. Recycling and waste management agencies, fire fighting services

6. Transport companies (airport, bus, urban transport etc)

MEASURE 4.3 Development of cross-regional and cross-border cooperation

Action 4.3.1: Cooperation with other wine tourism networks in Greece and abroad

In its current form, the development of wine tourism in Greece is mainly due to collective actions

based on the bottom-up approach (Alebaki & Iakovidou, 2012). The fact is that the current economic

crunch imposed by the international financial crisis is affecting investments negatively and restricts

any wine tourism development prospects. Nevertheless, there are actions requiring only consensus

and coordination rather than money, which can bring significant benefits. Such an example is the

44http://www.keosoe.gr/marketingbranding/ethniki-stratigiki-marketing.html



86

Table 8.11 The products of the “Basket” of the Prefecture of Epirus

Products of National

Significance for export

Traditional

Products

Products for the

domestic market

Delicatessen

Products

PGI Wines of Zitsa,

Oranges, Tangerines,

Kiwis of Epirus, Feta PDO,

Bream, Bass, Eel, Trout,Mussels

Galotyri PDO, Metsovone

PDO, Metsovela,

Kefalotyri cheese, Ourda,

Goat Cheese, Mizithra,Anthotyro, Graviera,

Trout of Epirus, Shrimp,

Sardines, mullet and eel

from the Ambracian gulf,

Tsipouro from Epirus,

Sweet fruit preserves,

Traditional pies of Epirus,

Handmade pasta.

Konservolia of Arta

PGI, PGI Wines, Chickens

and eggs from Epirus,

Lamb- Goat from Epirus,Pork from Epirus, Free

range Veal, Cow’s milk-

yogurt, Vegetables from

Preveza (Preveza tomato

cultivated under cover),

Potato from Christovitsa,

Mullets, Honey from

Epirus, Forage plants,

Herbs.

Caviar from Arta, Roe

from the Ambracian gulf,

Smoked trout fillet,

smoked eel, Cheese withherbs and spices, Deer

and wild boar sausages,

Aged vinegar, elixirs

without alcohol and

liqueurs, Special sweet

fruit preserves and jams.

Source: Business plan: “Basket of Agricultural Products of the Prefecture of Epirus”

Action 5.1.2: Development and management of a strong tourist brand

The development of an integrated communication proposal for the management of the region’s

tourism identity is a critical issue for both competitiveness and openness of the Regional Unit of

Ioannina. The term “destination brand” has been defined as a name, symbol, logo, word mark or

other graphic that both identifies and differentiates the destination; furthermore, it conveys the

promise of a memorable travel experience that is uniquely associated with the particular destination

(Ritchie & Ritchie, 1998).

The scenery, which is shaped by the vineyards, is inextricably linked to the promotion of a

destination’s image (“place branding” ) (Dreyer & Muller, 2011). As time goes by, viticulture and wine

production are incorporated and constitute integral components of a region’s cultural idioms

(Alebaki, 2012), which gradually turns into a ‘ place reference’ (Banks et al., 2007). Therefore, in a

process of branding47

, wine should be central, but not the only axis of reference. In addition to this,

the selection of those elements forming the other components of the region’s tourist brand around

the wine product is also deemed necessary.

In Figure 8.1, certain dimensions were suggested, on which particular attention should be paid

(nature, gastronomy, culture). Furthermore, it is important to note that all local particularities

(silversmithery, weaving and traditional occupations, primary sector activities, local food products and

folk art, outdoor activities, etc.) should be utilised, as they could improve the image of the Regional

Unit of Ioannina on potential visitors’ perceptions and act as magnets for tourists.

Action 5.1.3: Integration of experiences related to wine and gastronomy in the region’s tourist

campaign

According to this specific action, it is suggested that the promotional campaign of the Regional Unit

of Ioannina48

is organised around thematic axes (Urban Tourism, Cultural Tourism, Religious

Tourism, Health Tourism, etc). All effort of an integrated tourist promotion of the region, should

definitely include the axis “Wine and Culinary Tourism”.

Therefore, it would be useful to have in the official website of each Municipality of the Regional Unit

a relevant section, which will aim at promoting the wine road, as well as suggestions of tourist

packages combining both wine and culinary experiences with various activities. Moreover, in the

phase of planning the tourist campaign at the level of the Regional Unit or the Prefecture, the

47 The word Branding cannot be translated in Greek using one word and concerns the management process of a destination’s

brand (http://www.amara.org/en/videos/9cK587Em4Cbk/el/352725/211282/)48

and of the Prefecture of Epirus as a whole



96

Table 8.17: Correlation of the third axis’ actions with the objectives of the strategic planAxis 3: Exploitation of human resources

Measures Actions

Objectives

1.Im

provingthe

imageofwine

2.Preservationand

Prom

otionofnatural

–culturalresources

3.Raisingawareness

–int

egrationofwine

tour

ism

product

4.Creationof

auth

enticandhigh

qualityexperiences

5.Creationofadded

valu

e

6.In

creasingvisiting

levels

7.Expansionofthe

tour

ism

activities

offered

8.Preservationand

deve

lopmentofthe

disti

nctiveidentity

3.1

Improvementof

capabilitiesandprofessional

levelofallstakeholders

3.1.1 Agricultural education √ √ √ √

3.1.2 Tourism education √ √ √ √ √

3.2

Stand

ardisationand

testing

3.2.1 Compliance of tourism enterprises with

quality standards √ √ √ √

3.2.2 Quality control of locally produced wines √ √ √ √

3.2.3 Creation of quality mark √ √ √ √



97

Table 8.18: Correlation of fourth axis’ actions with the objectives of the strategic planAxis 4: Development of synergies

Measures Actions

Objectives

1.

Improvingthe

im

ageofwine

2.

Preservationand

Pr

omotionofnatural–

cu

lturalresources

3.

Raisingawareness–

integrationofwine

to

urism

product

4.

Creationof

au

thenticandhigh

qu

alityexperiences

5.

Creationofadded

va

lue

6.

Increasingvisiting

levels

7.

Expansionofthe

to

urism

activities

of

fered

8.

Preservationand

de

velopmentofthe

distinctiveidentity

4.1Networking

atlocallevel 4.1.1 Establishment of a project team at

Regional Unit level, in which all interest groups

will participate √ √ √ √

4.2Coordinationofactionsfor

thedevelopmentofwineand

tourism

culture

4.2.1 Identification and promotion of business

activities in the wine tourism industry √ √ √

4.2.2 Promotion of good practices

√ √ √ √

4.2.3 Synergies with social infrastructure

√ √ √

4.3Developmentof

cross-regionaland

cross-border

cooperation

4.3.1 Cooperation with other wine tourism

networks in Greece and abroad √ √ √ √ √

4.3.2 Collaboration with other bodies in order

to promote common interests √ √ √ √ √



102

Ioannina Tzoumerka Dodoni Zitsa 3.2.1 Compliance of tourism enterprises

with quality standards

√

3.2.2 Quality control of locally produced

wines

√

3.2.3 Creation of quality mark √


MEASURE 4.1: Networking at local level

Actions Municipali

ty of Ioannina

Municipality

of Zagori

Municipality

of Konitsa

Municipality

of Pogoni

Municipality

of N.Tzoumerka

Municipality

of Metsovo

Municipal

ity of Dodoni

Municipal

ity of Zitsa

RU of

Ioannina

4.1.1 Establishment of a project team at

Regional Unit level, in which all interest

groups will participate

√

MEASURE 4.2: Joint actions for the development of wine and tourism culture

Actions Municipali

ty of

Ioannina

Municipality

of Zagori Municipality

of Konitsa Municipality

of Pogoni Municipality

of N.

Tzoumerka

Municipality

of Metsovo Municipal

ity of

Dodoni

Municipal

ity of

Zitsa

RU of

Ioannina

4.2.1 Identification and promotion of

business activities in the wine tourism

industry

√

4.2.2 Promotion of good practices √

4.2.3 Synergies with social infrastructure √

MEASURE 4.3: Development of cross-regional and cross-border cooperation

Actions Municipali

ty of

Ioannina

Municipality




of N.

Tzoumerka

Municipality


ity of

Dodoni

Municipal

ity of

Zitsa

RU of

Ioannina

4.3.1 Cooperation with other wine tourism

networks in Greece and abroad √

4.3.2 Collaboration with other bodies in

order to promote common interests √

AXIS 5: COMMUNICATION POLICY AND PROMOTION



104

6.1.2 Cooperation with bodies that have

already developed successfully similar

actions e.g. Insmart

√

6.2 Exports of wine and tourism

Actions Municipali

ty of

Ioannina

Municipality




of N.

Tzoumerka

Municipality


ity of

Dodoni

Municipal

ity of

Zitsa

RU of

Ioannina

6.2.1 Study the supply chain of wine

exports

√



108

9. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTIONS UNDER PUBLIC INVESTMENT

PROGRAMME

Wine tourism constitutes a dynamic model for local development and the region’s potential should participate

in full towards this goal. Vineyards are an integral part of the environment as a whole, while both vine and wine

are part of cultural heritage. Thus, any source of funding is interesting, whatever its source or its recipient, as

long as it serves wine tourism development. Finding the necessary financial resources for the development of

wine tourism belongs among the responsibilities of local government, too. Important is the role of the

provision of stable financial support by the state, which can ensure proper functioning of all services and

agencies of Local Government as well as the financing of necessary works. Beyond that, Local Government

must provide local resources for development, mobilise resources from the wider local market, seek fundsfrom the European Union and the international market, and mobilise local capital, so that to allow the

development of wine tourism (Lalissidou S., 2011).

Below the main sources of funding for the actions of the Strategic Plan under National and European

Programmes are presented.

9.1 National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF)

9.1.1 Regional Operational Programme Thessaly - Central Greece - Epirus 2007 – 2013

The Regional Operational Programme Thessaly - Central Greece - Epirus56

expresses developmental planning

of territorial unity during the programming period 2007-13 and includes developmental strategy of theterritorial unity, general and specific objectives, as well as individual interventions and resources.

The Strategic Objective and the overall developmental vision of the Geographical Unity of Thessaly - Central

Greece - Epirus for 2007-2013 is the “Enhancement of the economy’s competitiveness, attractiveness and

openness through the improvement of both geographical and social cohesion and the adoption of sustainable

methods for the development of productive activities and the management of natural and constructed

environment”.

The Regional Operational programme includes a common basis of interventions, among which there are

interventions for the encouragement of tourism activity, the protection and promotion of cultural and local

heritage, quality of life improvement in urban areas, development of cultural infrastructure, urban and rural

regeneration.

Such interventions support actions such as the promotion of thematic forms of tourism and linking tourism

with local production and contemporary cultural reality, information and promotion actions, improvement of

infrastructure promoting education in the field of tourism, visitors’ routes and ecotourism networks,

restoration and promotion of monuments and archaeological sites, visitor services offices, actions and

promotional tools, construction and modernisation of museums, contemporary culture infrastructure,

protection and preservation of rural heritage etc. (Lalissidou S., 2011).

P.A.6 Sustainable development and quality of life in Epirus

6.4. Cultural interventions

56 http://www.thessalia-stereaellada-hpeiros.gr/el/Pages/Default.aspx



109

o 1. Protection and promotion of cultural heritage

o 2. Development of contemporary culture

o 3. Integration of archaeological sites – Establishment of cultural routes

6.5. Tourism interventions

o 1. Integrated interventions for the tourism development of specific areas

o 2. Development of traditional and special – alternative forms of tourism, utilising natural andcultural heritage

6.6. Integrated interventions of urban and rural regeneration

o 2. Integrated interventions of rural regeneration

P.A.9 Digital convergence and entrepreneurship in Epirus

9.1. Improvement of regional competitiveness and quality of life through the use of ICTs

o Introduction, use and exploitation of ICTs by enterprises

9.2. Improvement of the region's innovative capacity for developing new or improved products and

services

o Enhancing SMEs to develop or improve products and services

9.3. Promotion of entrepreneurship – Improvement of business environmento Enhancing business plans in the processing, services and trading sectors.

9.1.2 Operational Programme ‘Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship’ 2007 - 2013

The Operational Programme (OP) “Competitiveness & Entrepreneurship”57

specifies the strategy for the

enhancement of competitiveness and extrovert entrepreneurship of Greek economy in the context of the

overall national development strategy for the new period 2007-2013.

The Operational Programme “Competitiveness & Entrepreneurship” provides for integrated and innovative

interventions to modernise and restructure the tourism sector, which concern, among others, the

enhancement of tourism investments through the developmental law, aiming at the extension, expansion and

upgrading of the tourism product. Development of special forms of tourism, special support programmes forenterprises of the tourism industry that are not included in developmental sector, development of cooperation

networks, etc.

The same Operational Programme includes actions, such as the creation of central points in tourism

development, in the context of thematic, cultural, naturalistic and ecotourism actions of national, interregional

and regional significance. Promotion of special and thematic forms of tourism and overall promotion of

tourism, establishment of information centres and events’ representations using new technologies and

multimedia (Lalissidou S., 2011).

P.A.2: Fostering entrepreneurship and extroversion

This axis aims at enhancing extrovert entrepreneurship as the only way to upgrade the country’s productioncapabilities of high added value goods and services, which are characterised by quality, environmental

awareness, integration of knowledge and innovation.

In the context of entrepreneurship - extroversion enhancement, actions are included for the enhancement of

enterprises’ modernisation, promotion of business cooperation and networking, enhancement of special forms

of tourism, promotion of private initiatives in relation to culture, business excellence, support for the

development of entrepreneurship among special population groups, etc .

P.A. 3: Improvement of business environment

This axis aims at the improvement of business environment, including among others, actions for consumer

protection and for the development - improvement of supportive structures and mechanisms for enterprises.

57 http://www.espa.gr/el/Pages/staticOPCompetitivenessAndEntrepreneurship.aspx



111

of funding. Furthermore, the initiative LEADER has been integrated into the Rural Development Programme as

an additional axis, and its difference compared to the Rural Development Programme is that it has expanded its

activities, covering not only the mountainous areas that are also included in the Rural Development

Programme, but extending to lowlands, too.

Among the actions that could be funded the following are included: Establishment, expansion, modernisation,

small-capacity accommodation infrastructure, catering and recreation facilities at visitable farms,

establishment – modernisation of local tourist information centres, signs for attractions and monuments etc.

Below, specific priorities and measures which can be used are presented (Lalissidou S., 2011).

Axis 1: "Preserving and improving the competitiveness of agriculture, forestry and agri-food sector"

The Axis’ interventions aim mainly at reversing the age structure and the small size of agricultural holdings,

restructuring and development of business structures through the promotion of technological equipment and

innovation, upgrading and improving the infrastructure of the primary sector, and developing workforce skills

to adapt to new requirements

Measure 111: Professional training and informative actions

Measure 114: Use of advisory services provided for the exploitation of agricultural and forestry

services

Measure 121: Modernisation of agricultural holdings

Measure 123: Added value of agricultural and forestry products

Measure 125: Infrastructure relevant to the development and adaptation of agriculture and forestry

Measure 131: Meeting standards based on Community legislation

Measure 132: Participation of farmers in Food Quality Systems

Measure 133: Informative and promotional activities

Axis 3: “Quality of life in rural areas and diversification of rural economy”

The Axis’ interventions aim mainly at the economic, social and cultural improvement of mountainous and

disadvantaged areas of the country. Special attention is paid to the promotion of activities other than

agriculture, strengthening small-scale entrepreneurship and reversing the adverse trends of depopulation in a

more attractive countryside with mild growth prospects.

Measure 311: Diversification into non-agricultural activities

Measure 312: Supporting the establishment and development of very small enterprises

Measure 313: Encouraging tourism activities

Measure 321: Basic services for the economy and rural population

Axis 4: "Creation of local capacity for employment and diversification in rural regions through the Leader

approach"

The actions of LEADER, under which the support of innovation is intended, include the creation and

development of very small enterprises, encouragement of tourism activities, increase of the added value of

agricultural and forestry products, highlighting rural heritage, reformation of villages, partnerships, networking

etc.

Measure 41: Competitiveness

Measure 421: Partnerships

Measure 431: Operational / Acquisition of skills & encouragement

9.2 European Territorial Cooperation Programmes

Apart from the above mentioned programmes, there is a great number of programmes and initiativesimplementing European Union regulations, which provide significant opportunities for partnerships, education



113

Priority Axis 2: Promotion and development of the environment and natural and cultural resources

o Measure 2.1: Promotion and protection of the environmental resources of the area

o Measure 2.2: Promotion and protection of the natural and cultural resources of the area

9.2.3 Southeast Europe Area (South East Programme)63

The programme’s Strategic Objective is specified as “Improvement of the territorial, eco nomic and social

integration and contribution to cohesion, stability and competitiveness through the development of

transnational partnerships and joint action on issues of strategic importance to the region”.

Priority Axes

1. Facilitation of innovation and entrepreneurship

2. Protection and improvement of the environment

3. Improvement of the accessibility

4. Development of transnational synergies for sustainable growth areas

Local governance, apart from its responsibility and obligation to gather, mobilise and coordinate all bodies and

professions in order to safeguard the activities and procedures for wine tourism development in a region,should also broaden its resources and funding opportunities.

Both the Operational Plan and the partnerships between public and private sector, PPPs, make both

infrastructure financing and the implementation of actions easier. Furthermore, participation in programmes

like INTERREG is significantly facilitated by the participation of local government, even more so since wineries

cannot apply for such programmes. In addition to this, actions such as the promotion and advertisement,

among others, may be developed in coordination to commercial and craft chambers (Lalissidou S., 2011).

63 http://www.interreg.gr/en/programmes/2012-05-11-09-00-08/see.html



114

Table 9.1 Funding of actions

AXIS 1: OFFERING A COMPLETE WINE TOURISM EXPERIENCE

MEASURE 1.1: Improvement of the wine road of Epirus

Actions Funding Source

1.1.1 Establishment of a wine tourism network at local level o ROP “Thessaly - Central Greece -

Epirus “ - Measure 6.5

1.1.2 Enrichment of existing wine road of Epirus with points of tourist

interest -

1.1.3 Actions to promote and enhance the signage of the wine road o ROP “Thessaly - Central Greece -


1.1.4 Establishment of quality standards o OP “Alexander Baltatzis” - Measure

132

MEASURE 1.2: Linking wine tourism with other forms of tourism


1.2.1 Inclusion of wine in tourism options -

1.2.2 Linking wine tourism to the production of local food products -

MEASURE 1.3: Exploration of tourist market’s needs


1.3.1 Research on tourism market and utilisation of available data o ROP “Thessaly - Central Greece -


1.3.2 Market segmentation -

1.3.3 Maintenance of visitors’ database by tourism enterprises and

wineries

o OP “Digital Convergence” - Specific

Goal 1.1

AXIS 2: PROTECTION AND PROMOTION OF WINE HERITAGE

MEASURE 2.1: Exploitation of wine heritage


2.1.1 Recording and identification of indigenous vine varieties o OP “Alexander Baltatzis”

2.1.2 Creation and digitisation of archive on wine heritage o OP “Digital Convergence” - Specific

Goal 1.1

o ROP “Thessaly - Central Greece -


2.1.3 Expansion of the Vinicultural zone (PDO wines) o ROP “Thessaly - Central Greece -


MEASURE 2.2: Preservation of cultural heritage


2.2.1 Creation and digitisation of archive on cultural heritage and local

culture



2.2.2 Selection of the elements to be used as key components of the

new tourism brand of the region -

AXIS 3: EXPLOITATION OF HUMAN RESOURCES

MEASURE 3.1: Improvement of capabilities and professional level of all stakeholders


3.1.1 Agricultural training and farming o OP “Alexander Baltatzis” - Measure

111

3.1.2 Training on wine and tourism o ROP “Thessaly - Central Greece -


MEASURE 3.2: Standardisation and testing


3.2.1 Compliance of tourism enterprises with quality standards o OP “Competitiveness and

Entrepreneurship” - P.A.2



115

3.2.2 Quality control of locally produced wines o OP “Alexander Baltatzis” - Measure

132

3.2.3 Creation of quality mark o OP “Competitiveness and


o OP “Alexander Baltatzis” - Measure

132


MEASURE 4.1: Networking at local level


4.1.1 Establishment of a project team at Regional Unit level, in which

all interest groups will participate -

MEASURE 4.2: Joint actions for the development of wine and tourism culture


4.2.1 Identification and promotion of business activities in the wine

tourism industry

o OP “Competitiveness and




4.2.2 Promotion of good practices o European Territorial Cooperation

Programmes

4.2.3 Synergies with social infrastructure (health, education) -

MEASURE 4.3: Development of cross-regional and cross-border cooperation


4.3.1 Cooperation with other wine tourism networks in Greece and

abroad

o OP “Competitiveness and


o European Territorial Cooperation

Programmes

4.3.2 Collaboration with other bodies in order to promote common

interests -

AXIS 5: COMMUNICATION POLICY AND PROMOTION MEASURE 5.1: Creation of a tourist brand with wine and gastronomy as the central axis


5.1.1 Formation of the main gastronomic basis -

5.1.2 Construction of the region’s tourist brand according to its

comparative advantages -

5.1.3 Integration of experiences related to wine and gastronomy in

the region’s tourist campaign



5.1.4 Organisation of events focusing on wine and gastronomy o Municipalities’ Budget

o Self-funding


Programmes

5.1.5 Participation in promoting actions o Municipalities’ Budget

o Self-funding



MEASURE 5.2: Promotion of local characteristics of each individual destination of the RU


5.2.1 Establishment of “wine tourism map” o ROP “Thessaly - Central Greece -



Programmes

5.2.2 Preparation and digitisation of a “Tourist Guide” o ROP “Thessaly - Central Greece -


o OP “Digital Convergence” - Specific



117

10. PRESENTATION OF THE PROMOTION AND ENHANCEMENT PROJECT OF

WIN TOURISM AND LOCAL WINE PRODUCTS

Wine tourism destinations include natural and humanitarian (Iakovidou 2006) tourism resources of a country

or region, contributing in this way in the attraction of visitors. Therefore, effective management, promotion,

distribution and targeted marketing of wine tourism destinations constitutes one of the major factors that

contribute decisively to the sustainability and competitiveness of this special form of tourism in a country or

region.

The specific reference targets of the project on the promotion and enhancement of wine tourism are the

following:

1. Attracting visitors on the basis of wine tourism entrepreneurship and enhancing the attractiveness of

Regional Unit of Ioannina in a broader sense, as a tourist destination at supralocal level for both

domestic and international markets.

2. Rearrangement and enhancement of awareness and competitiveness of the overall tourism product in

the Regional Unit of Ioannina and the Prefecture of Epirus, in general, and

3. Active contribution of wine tourism resources in the financial, social, as well as aesthetic development

of the broader area of influence of the Regional Unit of Ioannina.

The design of the proposed promotion project is anthropocentric. Its benchmark is the offering and promotion

of experiences and experiential goods (creativity and innovation in countryside and culture resources’

exploitation) and aims at competing for the consumer's available time and income (Kaldis P.).

In terms of strategy, market development and penetration, as well as diversification and product development

may be used as appropriate tools-marketing techniques for the promotion of wine tourism goods.

Thus, the development of the market aims at overcoming and expanding conventional relevant local limits,

through the involvement in wider collaborative networks, so that to offer a variety of goods of both wine

tourism and for wellbeing, in general, which meet the different needs and characteristics of various groups of

consumers.

The case of market penetration concerns actions to attract new potential consumers of wine tourism goods,

served by competing wine tourism environments or that are not informed about the existence and exploitation

of wine tourism resources in the Regional Unit of Ioannina.

Differentiation (segmentation, i.e. separation of the market and promotion of available options of goods with

various characteristics) refers to an attempt to personalise wine tourism goods and focusing on offering them

to individuals who want to experience non-standardised cultural goods.

Product development concerns the supply of new and augmented benefits to experiential goods, existing or

new, making use of the features of authenticity of the region (natural infrastructure - surrounding environment

- rural scenery - local products - gastronomy, etc.), which, together with the visitor that seeks for pleasure, co-

create a personalised experience connecting the past with the present (Kaldis P.).

The mixture of proposed promotion and enhancement actions has been developed in such a way so that to

achieve:

promotion of the wine region and its wineries (leaflets, publications, videos, participation in

exhibitions, conferences, etc.)



118

creation or promotion of visitable spots, in wineries or elsewhere, decorated using typical cultural

elements: wine or vine exhibitions, ethnographic collections, photography exhibitions

introduction or exploitation of festivals, fairs and customary happenings, promoting their traditional

elements

in addition to this, presentation of detailed, thorough and flexible suggestions for routes in the

vineyards, participation in activities, tours and typical gastronomic delights, purchasing traditional

products, etc., and finally,

certification of the authenticity of the elements of the wine region, a process that is necessary for

both its documentation, and the participation in funding programmes etc. (Tzimou, 2011).

It is also essential to focus communication policy on specific target groups in order to achieve better results.

The project’s target groups are:

Wine tourists

Tourists

Local government and bodies

The general public

Tourism industry entrepreneurs

Wine markets

Τour Operators

Media

10.1 General Framework of Communication Strategy

The clarification and definition of the general framework of communication strategy leads to the desired result.

The general framework of the Strategy includes the following key stages:

Publishing and communication of wine tourism actions,

Informing stakeholders and the general public on the resulting possibilities and benefits, Attraction of target-groups,

Stakeholders’ awareness and mobilisation

Change and diversification of target group's behaviour, as well as positive response of the public.

An integrated communication policy for wine tourism and local vine products, presupposes the use of a range

of instruments, covering both traditional methods and the most modern and technologically advanced ones,

due to the great variability of the proposed target audience.

The combination of different communication media and tools is essential so that to ensure more effective

communication. Information and publicity measures of the Communication Plan are differentiated according to

the target group.

In the following sections, publicity measures of the Communication Plan are presented in detail, as well as the

corresponding communication tools proposed to be used.

It should be also noted that the preparation of the Communication Strategy Plan was based on the

“Communication Plan of Rural Development Programme in Greece 2007 – 2013 (RDP) “Alexander Baltatzis””.

10.2 Promotion via the Media – Advertising campaigns

The promotion via the Media through advertising campaigns, including press listings and advertisements on TV,

radio and the internet, is chosen in order to disseminate greater amount and more detailed information, as

well as to maximise frequency and, thus, remembrance of the region.



123

11. EVALUATION OF LONG TERM BENEFITS AT THE LEVEL OF ECONOMIC,

SOCIAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BENEFITS

In this section, an evaluation of the main benefits expected following the implementation of the Business Plan

is presented. The evaluation of benefits highlights the relationship between the proposed actions to be

implemented and the final outcomes of the programme.

Wine tourism development and, thus, the development of tourism will have effects on local economy and, in

the long term, on the region. The greater incentive for its development may be derived from understanding the

extent of significant benefits it can offer in the region, where wine tourism is being developed. Wine tourism

has positive effects on the rural area’s socio-economic structure as a whole, providing added value,

employment opportunities and the development of human capital.

Arguably, one of the main effects of wine tourism is the promotion of each region’s wines both within the

country and abroad. Therefore, consumers gain knowledge on wines through their history, the arts, the

customs and traditions of their place of origin, while acquiring right eating habits, keeping them healthier, both

physically and mentally.

The development of wine tourism raises demand for the regions included in the thematic roads and stimulates

the offer of tourism activities, creates sustainable jobs, mainly in the fields of agriculture and tourism, creates

the right environment for investments in infrastructure, and strengthens economic and social cohesion

following the decrease of regional inequalities.

As far as employment is concerned, one of the long term outcomes of wine tourism development is the

opening of new jobs. Tourism is a labour intensive industry and creates new jobs, while its contribution isparticularly important for self-employment strengthening (tourism enterprises, shops, etc.) (Lalissidou S.,

2011). The following types of employment will be created:

(a) Direct employment arises from expenditures made by tourists.

(b) Indirect employment: arises from activities of tourism offer, but it is not directly caused by the

expenditures made by tourists.

(c) Inductive employment: refers to the additional employment arising from the effects of tourism income

multiplier (Christou Z, 2007).

The new jobs create employment opportunities, not only in tourism but also in other sectors, such as farming

and livestock, constructions, manufacturing, handicrafts, etc. Moreover, employment in the wine tourismindustry can be combined with parallel employment in another industry of the economy, resulting in the

overall increase of family incomes.

Many positions created in alternative tourism activities do not require specialised employees. Therefore,

tourism development will provide employment to unskilled and untrained individuals, who usually make up the

majority of the rural population. In other words, wine tourism development will generate employment for a

large number of people with different occupations and skill levels.

Furthermore, long term benefits include quality of life improvement for residents through the required

improvement of infrastructure, e.g. public transport.

Wine tourism development will become a key driver to growth in deprived rural areas. Tourism has contributedin many cases in the development of non-industrial, geographically isolated, mountainous and deprived or with



125

Preservation of local traditions.

Retaining local population.

Growing understanding and appreciation of local culture and folklore.

Environmental:

Increased incentives for environmental protection and the restoration of habitats.

Improvement of habitats and cultural monuments.



126

REFERENCES

Greek

Alebaki, Μ. (2012). Exploring factors that affect wine tourism development. Phd Thesis. Aristotle University Of

Thessaloniki, School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics. Thessaloniki.

Alebaki, Μ. & Iakovidou, O. (2012). Wine Tourism: Exploring the dimensions of wine tourism experience from

the perspective of visitors. 3rd

Conference of Tourism Law . Chalcidice, 27-30/09.

Alexopoulos, G. Koutsouris, A. & Tzouramani, I. (2010). Characteristics of the demand for information and

training in rural areas. Results of field research on young farmers in seven (7) prefectures of Greece.

Competitiveness, environment, quality of life and rural development (10th biannual conference of the

Hellenic Association of Agricultural Economists). GRAPHIMA, Thessaloniki, 2010: 375-392

Anastopoulos, B. (2010). Planning, budgeting and performance measurement criteria of marketing.

Postgraduate Thesis. Agricultural University of Athens, Department of Agricultural Economy and

Development, Athens.

Andriotis, Κ. (2004). Tourism enterprises marketing: A strategic approach. ELLIN, Athens.

Vagianni Ε., Ιosifides Th. & Petanidou, Th. (2003). Using SWOT Analysis in spatial and developmental planning:

The case of ecotourism planning in Polichnito of Lesvos. Topos, 20-21: 119-137.

Vaimakis, Β. (2002). The varietal conversion in Epirus. Paper presented at the conference on KEOSOE entitled:

“The varietal orientation of Greek vineyards under a new wine policy”. Athens, 7 -8/03. Available at

http://www.keosoe.gr/pdf/sinedrio_ampeli/13.pdf. Date of retrieval: 12/05/2013.

Varvaressos, S. & Sotiriades, M. (2002). Tourists consuming behaviour: need for integrated approaches.

Review of Social Research, 108-109: 347-390.

Daoutopoulos, G. (2005). Methodology for the Social Sciences. Thessaloniki: Zigos.

Directorate of Planning, Municipality of Kavala, (2012). Business Plan 2012-2014. Available at:

http://www.kavala.gov.gr/web/guest/municipality/plan20122014. Date of retrieval: 14/05/2013.

Wine Producers Association of the Northern Greece Vineyard (ΕΝΟΑVΕ) (2013). http://www.wineroads.gr/

Date of retrieval: 14/05/2013.

Zafiropoulos, B. (2011). Comparative assessment of management and food safety systems in catering and

primary sector enterprises. Postgraduate Thesis. Agricultural University of Athens, Department of

Food Science and Technology

Zachariades, Α. (2000). Standards, norms or patterns? Informative Brochure - Union of Hellenic Scientists for

Protypation and Standardisation. (ΕΝΕPRΟΤ), Issue No. 6.

Iakovidou, Ό., Alebaki, M and, Labrouli, I. (2008). Local traditional products: A new dimension in agrotourism

development. 3rd

International Conference on Organic Livestock Production, Agrinio, 20- 21/09/2008.

Iosifides, Th. (2003). Introduction in qualitative social research data analysis. University of the Aegean, Mytilini.

Kaldis, P. Innovative administration of wine tourism and wine tourism enterprises. From conventional products

to experiential goods and experiences. Technological Educational Institution of Athens, School of Food

Technology and Nutrition, Department of Oenology and Beverage Technology, Athens.



128

Available at: http://portal.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_oiko1_1_01/11/2006_170288. Date of

retrieval: 19/01/2013.

Makris, G. (2007). Epirus: In the rhythm of the Kagelari dance. Abelotopi , 39:20-24.

Bada, Κ. (2003). Cultural routes of wine, tourism and sustainable development in Epirus. In: Rokos, Dim. (Eds.).

Integrated development in Epirus” ), entitled: “ Μetsovo, Spring 2004, Athens, Livani - MetsovionInterdisciplinary Research Centre (M.I.R.C. 2007, iss. 2, pp. 72 – 93).

Botonaki, Α. (2007). Exploring the factors affecting convenience food consumption Phd Thesis. Aristotle

University of Thessaloniki. School of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Economics. Thessaloniki.

Nella, Α. (2012). The effects of Consumer Experience Tourism on consumer behaviour and marketing strategy:

An empirical study in the field of wine tourism. Phd Thesis. University of the Aegean. School of

Management. Department of Business Administration.

Xidakis, G. (2007). The "unknown" Cycladic Vine Varieties. Available at:

http://www.erosmykonos.gr/?page_id=518 Date of retrieval: 19/01/2013.

Papadopoulou, Ε. (2011). The role of the 4PL provider in the supply chain system: the pre-selection process of

potential logistics service providers (freight forwarders and 3PL) based on the level of intra-firm

incorporation of total quality management. Phd Thesis. University of Macedonia Economic and Social

Sciences. Department of Applied Information Sciences.

Partalidou, M. & Iakovidou, O. (2002). Quality as a prerequisite for the development of agrotourism. Review of

Social Research, 108-109: 325-345.

Paschaliori, Β. & Μilesi, Ch. (2005). Qualitative method of participant observation: comments and

considerations. Review of Educational Issues, 10: 20-34.

SEΤΕ (Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises) (2010). “Greek Tourism 2020, Proposal for a new development

model, Tourism as a leader in economic and social development of Greece . Available athttp://issuu.com/sete-

ebooks/docs/sete2020?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayou

t.xml&showFlipBtn=true Date of Retrieval: 14/05/2013.

Siomkos, G. (2002). Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Strategy. Stamoulis Publications. Athens (836 pages.).

Spinthiropoulou, Ch. (2000). Wine grape varieties of Greek Vineyard . Olive Press Publications, Athens.

Tzimou, Ε. (2011). Wine tourism in Drama. Presentation in the conference “Drama in the Region of Eastern

Macedonia and Thrace of Kallikratis- the road to equal opportunities and growth”

Tsakiri, L. (2010). Introduction to Research Methods. Lecture notes. Available at

http://dpms.csd.auth.gr/stuff/eis-meth-er.pdf Date of retrieval: 14/05/2013.

Tsartas, P. (2008). Conclusions and suggestions of policy. Presentation at the 1st

Pan-Hellenic Wine Tourism

Conference. Limnos, 06-08/06.

Tsartas, P. (2010). Greek tourism development: Characteristics, explorations, suggestions Kritiki Publications,

Athens.

Tsartas, P., Papatheodorou, A., Lagos, D., Sigala, M., Christou, E., Spilanis, I., Stavrinoudis, T., Vagianni, E.,

Zenelis, P., Vassiliou, M., Skoultsos S., Arvanitis, P., Tsiakali, K., Marinidis, D., Poulaki, I. &

Panagopoulos, P. (2010). The importance of Tourism in Greek economy / society & policy suggestions

for tourism development. Study Conducted on Behalf of the Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises

(SETE). University of the Aegean, Tourism Research and Studies Laboratory, Chios.



130

Alonso, A.D. & Northcote, J. (2009). Wine, history, landscape: origin branding in Western Australia. British

Food Journal , 111 (11): 1248-1259.

Alonso, A.D. & O’Neill, M.A. (2009). Wine tourism in Spain: The case of three wine regions. TOURISM, 57(4):

405-420.

Babbie, E. R. (2010). The Practice of Social Research. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage (12th ed., 624 p).

Bada K. (2003). Cultural wine routes in Epirus: dialogue and development routes. In: Schmude Jurgen and

Trono Anna (eds), Routes for tourism and culture. Some examples for creating thematic routes from

Italy, Greece, Portugal and Germany , Beitrage zur Wirtschaftsgeographie Regensburg 5, p. 85 – 95.

Banks, G., Kelly, S., Lewis, N. & Sharpe, S. (2007). Place ‘From One Glance’: The use of place in the marketing

of New Zealand and Australian wines. Australian Geographer , 38(1): 15-35.

Beamon. B. N. (1998). Supply chain design and analysis: Models and methods. International Journal of

Production Economics, 55 (3): 281-294.

Bojnec, Š., Jurinčič, I. & Tomljenović, R. (2007). Vloga javne uprave za učinkovitejšo promocijo in trženje vina

ter vinskega turizma. In: Š. Vršič (ed.), 3. slovenski vinogradniško-vinarski kongreszbornik referatov (pp.

189-194). Maribor: Grafiti studio.

Boniface, P. (2003) Tasting tourism: travelling for food and drink. Burlington: Ashgate Publishing.

Botonaki, A. & Tsakiridou, E. (2004). Consumer response evaluation of a Greek quality wine. Acta Agriculturae

Scandinavica, Section C - Economy, 1 (2): 91-98.

Brocklesby, M.A., Ambrose, B., Fon, T.C. (2002). Developing participatory forest management: the user group

analysis on Mount Cameroon.

Brown, G. & Getz, D. (2005). Linking wine preferences to the choice of wine tourism destinations. Journal of

Travel Research, 43(3): 266-276.

Bruwer, J. (2002). The importance and role of the winery cellar door in the Australian wine industry: some

perspectives. The Australian & New Zealand Grapegrower & Winemaker , 463: 56-61.

Bruwer, J. & Alant, K. (2009). The hedonic nature of wine tourism consumption: an experiential view.

International Journal of Wine Business Research, 21(3): 235-257.

Bruwer, J. & Johnson, R. (2010). Place-based marketing and regional branding strategy perspectives in the

California wine industry. Journal of Consumer Marketing, 27(1): 5-16.

Bruwer, J. & Reilly, M. (2006). The power of word-of-mouth communication as an information source for

winery cellar door visitors. Australian & New Zealand Wine Industry Journal , 21(3): 43-52.

Bryman, A. (2006). Integrating quantitative and qualitative research: how is it done? Qualitative Research, 6(1):

97 – 113.

Bryman, A. & Bell, E. (2003). Business research methods. New York: Oxford University Press.

Byrd, E. T., Bosley, H. E. & Dronberger, M. G. (2009). Comparisons of stakeholder perceptions of tourism

impacts in rural eastern North Carolina. Tourism Management , 30 (5): 693-703.

Cambourne, B., Hall, C.M., Johnson, G., Macionis, N., Mitchell, R.D. & Sharples, L. (2000) . The maturing wine

tourism product: An international overview. In: Hall, C.M., Sharples, L., Cambourne, B., Macionis, N.,

Mitchell, R. & Johnson, G. (Eds.): Wine tourism around the world: Development, management and

markets (pp. 24-66). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.

Carlsen, J. (2004). A review of global wine tourism research. Journal of Wine research, 15(1): 5-13.



133

Gupta, A. (1995). A stakeholder analysis approach for interorganisational systems. Industrial Management &

Data Systems, 95 (6): 3-7.

Hall, C. M. (2003). Wine and food tourism networks: a comparative study. In: Pavlovich, K. & Akorrie, M. (Eds.).

Strategic Alliances and Collaborative Partnerships – A Case Book, Dunmore Press, Palmerston North, p.

258-268.

Hall, C.M. & Mitchell, R. (2000). Wine tourism in the Mediterranean: a tool for restructuring and development.

Thunderbird International Business Review , 42(4): 445-465.

Hall, C.M. & Mitchell, R. (2002). The tourist terroir of New Zealand wine: the importance of region in the wine

tourism experience. In: Montanari, A. (Eds.) Food and Environment: Geographies of Taste, Rome: Societa

Geografica Italiana.

Hall, C.M., Johnson, G., Cambourne, B., Macionis, N., Mitchell, R. & Sharples, E. (2000). Wine tourism: An

introduction. In: Hall, C.M., Sharples, L., Cambourne, B., Macionis, N., Mitchell, R. & Johnson, G. (Eds.):

Wine tourism around the world: Development, management and markets (pp. 1-23). Oxford:

Butterworth Heinemann.

Hjalager, A.M & G., Richards (2002) Still undigested: Research issues in tourism and gastronomy. In: A. M.

Hjalager, & G. Richards (Eds.), Tourism and gastronomy. London: Routledge.

ICAP (2010). Κλαδική μελέτη, Οινοποιΐα, Αθήνα.

Jang, S. & Cai, L. (2002). Travel motivations and destination choice: A study of British outbound market. Journal

of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 13(3): 11 –133.

Jang, S. & Wu, C. (2006). Seniors’ travel motivation and the influential factors: an examination of Taiwanese

seniors. Tourism Management , 27(2): 306-316.

Juran, J.M. (1986). The Quality Trilogy: A Universal Approach to Managing Quality.Quality Progress.

Jurinčič, I. & Bojnec, Š. (2009). Wine tourism development: The case of the wine district in Slovenia. TOURISM,

57(4): 435-448.

Kaberis, N. & A. Koutsouris (2012). Reflections on the ‘expert syndrome’: a Greek case Study on extension

education, Producing and reproducing farming systems: New modes of organisation for sustainable

food systems of tomorrow (10th European IFSA Symposium), Aarhus, Denmark, 1-4 July.

Kesar, O. & Fernjanic, D. (2010). Key aspects of managing successful wine tourism development in times of

global economic crisis – A case of Croatia. Acta turistica, 22(1): 99-131.

Koutsouris, A. (2012). Education from a Critical Realist point of view. Critical Science and Education 12: 69-78.

Kunc, M. (2008). A review of the development of wine tourism in Chile. 4th International Conference of the

Academy of Wine Business Research, Siena, July, 2008.

Lamb, C., Fair, J. & McDaniel, C. (2003). Marketing. Beijing: Peking University Press (700 p.).

Lenzerini, F. (2011). Intangible Cultural Heritage: The Living Culture of Peoples. The European Journal of

International Law , 22 (1): 101-120.

López-Guzmán, T., Rodríguez-García, J., Sánchez-Cañizares, S. & Luján-García, M.J. (2011). The development

of wine tourism in Spain. International Journal of Wine Business Research, 23(4): 1751-1062.

López-Guzmán, T., Sánchez-Cañizares, S. & Rodríguez-García, J. (2009). Wine routes in Spain: A case study.

TOURISM, 57(4): 421-434.



136

Sparks, B. & Malady, J. (2006). Emerging wine tourism regions: lessons for development. In: Carlsen, J. &

Charters, S. (Eds), Global Wine Tourism: Research Management and Marketing. CAB International,

Wallingford (pp. 67-79).

Stewart, J.W., Bramble, L. & Ziraldo, D. (2008). Key challenges in wine and culinary tourism with practical

recommendations. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 20(3): 302-312.

Stokes, R. (2008). Tourism strategy making: Insights to the events tourism domain. Tourism Management , 29

(2): 252 –262.

Sun, S. (2009). An analysis of the conditions and methods of market segmentation. International Journal of

Business and Management, 4(2): 63-72.

Swarbrooke J. & Horner, S. (2002). Business Travel and Tourism. The Bath Press. UK.

Tkaczynskia, A., Rundle-Thieleb, S.R. & Beaumontb, N. (2009). Segmentation: A tourism stakeholder view.

Tourism Management, 30(2): 169-175.

Tomljenović, R. (2006). Wine tourism destination life-cycle. Proceedings of the GEOTOUR 2006. Košice

(Slovakia), 05-07/10, (pp. 221-236).

Tomljenović, R. & Getz. D. (2009). Life-cycle stages in wine tourism development: A comparison of wine

regions in Croatia and Canada. Tourism Review International, 13(1): 31-49.

Traub, R. (1994). Reliability for the Social Sciences. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, Inc.

Tregear, (2003) From Stiton to Vimto: Using Food History to Rethink Typical Products in Rural Deve lopment’.

Sociologia Ruralis, 43 (2): 91-107.

Treloar, P. Hall, C.M., Mitchell, R.D. (2004). Wine tourism and the generation Y market: any possibilities?

CAUTHE conference in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, February.

Vlachvei, A. & Notta, O. (2009). Wine routes in Greece: Producers’ perceptions and economic implications.

International Journal of Arts and Sciences, 3(2): 95-106.

Wade, R., Holmes, M. & Jacobs, H. (2010). Tales of two travelers: A comparative analysis of winery and general

tourists. Refereed paper-5th International Academy of Wine Business Research Conference. 8‐10/02,

Auckland (New Zealand).

Williams, P. & Kelly, J. (2001). Cultural wine tourists: product development considerations for British

Columbia’s resident wine tourism market. International Journal of Wine Marketing, 13(3): 59-77.

Winemakers’ Federation of Australia (2013). http://www.wfa.org.au/resources/1/Tourism/

Wine_food_tourism_strategy.pdf (Date of retrieval 20/03/2013)

Zare, A., F. Ghasemi, K. Zyari, & Sadeghi, M. (2011). Analysis of factors affecting tourism development in

Shiraz: SWOT Strategic Model. The first international conference on tourism management &

sustainable development (TMSD), Islamic Azad University, Marvdasht, Iran. (in Persian)

Zeithaml, V., Parasuraman, A. & Berry, L. (1990). Delivering Quality Service: Balancing Customer Perceptions

and Expectations. New York: The Free Press

Websites

http://www.agrotikianaptixi.gr/

http://www.thessalia-stereaellada-hpeiros.gr/el/Pages/Default.aspx









137

http://www.espa.gr/el/Pages/staticOPCompetitivenessAndEntrepreneurship.aspx

http://www.espa.gr/el/Pages/staticOPDigitalConvergence.aspx

http://www.pde.gov.gr/gr/enimerosi/item/1260-programma-dimosiwn-ependusewn-dutikis-elladas.html

http://www.interreg.gr/el/%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1/%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BC%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AE-

%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%85%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BA%CE%AC-

%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1/%CE%B5%CE%B

B%CE%BB%CE%AC%CE%B4%CE%B1-%CE%B9%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%AF%CE%B1.html

http://www.interreg.gr/el/%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%8

4%CE%B1/%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BC%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AE-

%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%85%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BA%CE%AC-

%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1/%CE%B5%CE%B

B%CE%BB%CE%AC%CE%B4%CE%B1-%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B2%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%AF%CE%B1.html

http://www.interreg.gr/en/programmes/2012-05-11-09-00-08/see.html







http://www.interreg.gr/el/%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1/%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BC%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AE-%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%85%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BA%CE%AC-%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1/%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%AC%CE%B4%CE%B1-%CE%B9%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%AF%CE%B1.html






http://www.interreg.gr/el/%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1/%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%BC%CE%B5%CF%81%CE%AE-%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1%CF%83%CF%85%CE%BD%CE%BF%CF%81%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BA%CE%AC-%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%AC%CE%BC%CE%BC%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1/%CE%B5%CE%BB%CE%BB%CE%AC%CE%B4%CE%B1-%CE%B1%CE%BB%CE%B2%CE%B1%CE%BD%CE%AF%CE%B1.html























138

APPENDIX

Figure 1 The SERVQUAL model. Source: Zeithaml et al., 1990



141

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9 – 10 = excellent, 8 – 9 = very good, 7 – 8 = good,

Rating (0 – 10) 6 – 7 = moderate, 5 – 6 = satisfactory, 0 – 5 = rejected

Questions / comments / issues to be addressed / discussed during the next visit

External Appearance Comments / Remarks

Signage

Easy access

Location

Description - Architecture

Local / modern

(interesting, special, neutral)

Respect of the natural environment

Harmony with the built environment

Environment, surroundings, view

Special outdoor areas: garden,pergolas, benches, playground,barbeque, pool

Car park (number)

Visible Pricelist (YES / NO)

Other activities (workshops for localproducts, courts, cycling, horse riding,etc)

Renovations - additions

Other

Circle the positive, Ο

Delete those not present Χ

Comment on negative issues …



142

Hall - Venues

Description of Place - Decoration

Aesthetics (equipment and furniture inharmony with the building and style of the enterprise), decoration: local /modern

Premises’ functionality layout, easymovement, access for people withspecial needs

Overall condition: quality, damage to thebuilding and furniture

Hall: lighting, atmosphere, brightness,furniture (not plastic), fireplace,tablecloths, table setting, tableware

Outdoor tables in the garden, yard,description, decoration, cleanliness

Reception: Reservations Manager,foreign language, service, courtesy,brochures, complaints box

Cleanliness of spaces: reception, hall

Kitchen: cleanliness of preparation area(floor, walls), cleanliness of equipment,stainless steel, HACCP, personnelhygiene

Restrooms: separate toilets,cleanliness, equipped, supplies

Rating (0 – 10) 9 – 10 = excellent, 8 – 9 = very good, 7 – 8 = good,

6 – 7 = moderate, 5 – 6 = satisfactory, 0 – 5 =rejected






143

Flavours, Variety Comments / Remarks

Menu: appearance, content

Cuisine type (local ingredients, localrecipes

Individuality of the menu, innovativeingredients and combinations

Culinary technique, Harmony of flavours, ingredients, balance, dishes’appearance

Chef

Serving

Proficiency of personnel, waiters

Service, courtesy


6 – 7 = moderate, 5 – 6 = satisfactory, 0 – 5 =rejected






145

2. ASSESSMENT SHEET FOR ACCOMMODATION ENTERPRISES

COMPANY

INFORMATION

Name

Distinctive Title

Postal Address

Location (city, village, mountain, beach, river, lake)

Distance from the city, the airport, Egnatia - PATHE Motorway

Name of responsible

Position in the company Mobile

phone

number

69

tel.1 tel. 2 fax

www. e-mail1 e-mail2

Tax

ID

Tax

Office

Profession-Activity Year of

Establishment

Type / Category

No of rooms single double suites

Operation period

Indicative prices

Restaurant For residents only Hotel only Hotel + Restaurant

No of employees seasonal permanent owners

Operation License, EOT Sign YES / NO

Have you received funding from Leader+?

Payment by Credit Card:

Pets allowed:



146

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9 – 10 = excellent, 8 – 9 = very good, 7 – 8 =

good,

Rating (0 – 10) 6 – 7 = moderate, 5 – 6 = satisfactory, 0 – 5 =

rejected


External Appearance Comments / Remarks

Signage

Easy access

Location

Description - Architecture

Building (central, bungalows)

Local / modern

(interesting, special, neutral)

Respect of the natural environment

Harmony with the built environment

Environment, surroundings, view,quietness

Special outdoor areas: garden, pergolas,benches, playground, barbeque, bar

Car park (number)

Renovations - additions

Other






147

Internal Common Areas Comments / Remarks

Aesthetics (equipment and furniture in

harmony with the building and style of theenterprise), decoration: local / modern

Premises’ functionality layout, signage of the areas, big corridors, access for peoplewith special needs

Overall condition: quality, damage to thebuilding and furniture

Reception: Size, Reservations Manager,foreign language, service, courtesy,brochures, complaints box

Lounge ease of movements, lighting,atmosphere, furniture, fireplace, TV, DVD,internet

Cleanliness of spaces: reception, lounge,corridors, stair, litter bins

Restrooms: separate toilets, cleanliness,equipped, supplies


6 – 7 = moderate, 5 – 6 = satisfactory, 0 – 5 = rejected






148

Rooms Comments / Remarks

Aesthetics (equipment and furniture inharmony with the building and style of theenterprise)

Premises’ functionality size, layout,wardrobes

Furniture: sufficiency, comfortable mattressand seating, lighting

Equipment: Telephone____, TV____, Internet____,Heating____, Air condition____, Fridge____,

Mini Bar____,

Room cleanliness: room, furniture,curtains, bed linen

Overall condition: Floor and walls, quality,damage

Security: keys, door, balcony door, safe

Balcony: view, furniture

WC: cleanliness disinfected hair dryer,shampoo, shower gel, suppliesquality, damage

other facilities: Jacuzzi, sauna, gym,fireplace

Room service, service, courtesy, overallsense




Delete those not present Χ Comment on negative issues …



149

Breakfast room, Bar Comments / Remarks

Breakfast times:

Description of breakfast room: comfortable,bright, tablecloths, furniture (not plastic),quality, wear, cleanliness

Breakfast variety, full buffet, local products,homemade recipes, fruits, not continental

Service, courtesy, serving

Kitchen: cleanliness of preparation area(floor, walls), cleanliness of equipment,stainless steel, HACCP, personnel hygiene

Bar: service, variety of drinks, lighting,friendly atmosphere, cleanliness

Rating (0 –

10) 9 – 10 = excellent, 8 – 9 = very good, 7 – 8 = good,6 – 7 = moderate, 5 – 6 = satisfactory, 0 – 5 = rejected






150

Restaurant, Flavours, Variety, Serving Comments / Remarks

Restaurant opening times:

Menu: appearance, content

Cuisine type (local ingredients, localrecipes

Individuality of the menu, innovativeingredients and combinations

Culinary technique, Harmony of flavours,ingredients, balance, dishes’ appearance

Chef

Service, proficiency of personnel, waiters

Service, courtesy








151

Wine Comments / Remarks

Appearance, range and presentation of wine list

Bottled wines, local wines (of the regions)

Greek vineyard presence (geographical /varietal)

Presence of European and internationalvineyards

Year selection

Tableware (glasses for white and red

wines), eurocave

Serving of wine, proficiency of personnel,sommelier




Delete those not present Χ Comment on negative issues …



152

Other Facilities and Services Comments / Remarks

Outdoor swimming pool heated or not, sunbeds, umbrellas, organised beach, marina

Car park (number= )

Sports: 5Χ5 fields, tennis, basket, volley

Ski, sailing, cycling, horse riding

Conference room

Spa, thalasso, gym

Mini market, hair salon

Activities for children

Other (local products workshops, stalls)






155

Overall Appearance Comments / Remarks

Easy access / adequate signage / signs / access for people withdisabilities

Local / modern architecture (interesting, special, neutral, “traditional”…)

Respect of the natural environment / harmony with the built environment

Aesthetics (equipment and furniture in harmony with the building and styleof the enterprise), decoration: local / modern

Overall condition: quality, damage to the building and furniture, latestrefurbishment…

Reception: manager, foreign language, service, courtesy, brochures,opening times

Proficiency of personnel regarding production, origin, local recipes or usage patterns

Pricelist

Cleanliness of main sales area and products’ warehouse

Rating (0 – 10) 9 – 10 = excellent, 7 – 8 = very good

5 – 6 = satisfactory, 0 – 5 = rejected






156

Visitable Production Areas Comments / Remarks

Tour operator, proficiency, ability to perform the tour, foreign language

Guided tour by appointment, time and duration of tour

Predefined route, signage and demarcation of the visitable areas, personalhygiene means for visitors

Tour brochure

Service, courtesy

Cleanliness of preparation area (floor, walls), cleanliness of equipment,stainless steel, HACCP








157

4. ASSESSMENT SHEET FOR ENTERPRISESOF ALTERNATIVE AND SPECIAL FORMS OF TOURISM

COMPANY INFORMATION

Name Distinctive Title

Postal Address

Access

Location (city, village, mountain, beach, river, lake)

Distance from the city, the airport, Egnatia -

PATHE Motorway

Responsible Position

tel.1 tel. 2 fax Mobile

phone

number

69

www. e-

mail1

e-mail2

Tax ID Tax

Office

Profession

Year of

Establishment

Latest refurbishment

Type / Category

Main Activities

Indicative prices

Operating period Opening

Times

Parallel Activities Refreshment stand, Restaurant, Guest house

No of employees seasonal permanent owners

Operation License: YES / NO

Have you received funding from Leader+?



158

OVERALL IMPRESSION 9 – 10 = excellent, 7 – 8 =

very good

Rating (0 – 10) 5 – 6 = satisfactory, 0 – 5 = rejected




159

Circle the positive,

Ο

Delete those not

present Χ

Comment on

negative issues

…

Pursuit of activities Comments / Remarks

Separate waiting and activity areas

Overall Appearance Comments / Remarks

Easy access / adequate signage / signs / access for people withdisabilities

Respect of the natural landscape / environment, surroundings,view

Car park (number= )

Reception: Reservations Manager, foreign language, service,courtesy, brochures, opening times, complaints box

Aesthetics (equipment and furniture in harmony with the buildingand style of the enterprise), decoration: local / modern

Premises’ functionality layout, signage of the areas, comfortableareas, access for people with special needs

Overall condition: quality, damage to the building and furniture,latest refurbishment…

Cleanliness of spaces: reception, outdoors, litter bins

Restrooms: separate toilets, cleanliness, equipped, supplies

Kitchen: cleanliness of preparation area (floor, walls),cleanliness of equipment, stainless steel, HACCP, fridges





161

RESEARCH FELLOWS

Maria Alebaki, Agronomist MSc, Phd in Agricultural Economy, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Ε-mail:

[email protected]

Vasilis Tsekeridis, Engineer of Planning and Regional Development, MBA/MiF,

Ε -mail: [email protected]

S/N

QUESTIONNAIRE FOR WINE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT BODIES

Dear Sir/Madam,

the present study is conducted within the frame of the project entitled “Cross-border Network for the

Promotion of Wine Products”. The purpose of the study is to analyse the capabilities of the Regional Unit of

Ioannina in the field of wine tourism (Action 2.2: “Strategic planning for wine tourism development”). To achieve

this, your contribution, through the completion of the following questionnaire, is of particular significance. It

must be noted that the data provided will only be used for scientific purposes.

Date of questionnaire completion ....../....../......

Personal details (optional)

Name...................................................Surname.......................................................................

Contact information

mailto:[email protected]









162

Part Α: Demographic Data

Α1. Interest group/ body you represent:

Α2.Place of permanent residence

Municipal District:…………………..…………………Municipality:…………….…………………………

Part B: Wine tourism development in the Regional Unit

of Ioannina

Β1. Please use the following graduated scales to indicate your

views regarding the development of wine tourism in the Regional Unit of Ioannina.

Absent Moderately

developed sufficiently

developed

I think that, so far

wine tourism in

Epirus is… 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Minimal Limited Tremendo

us

I think that the

potential for winetourism development

in Epirus is… 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Β2. Which are the main advantages of t he Regional Unit of

Ioannina in relation to wine tourism development?

……………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

……………………………………..………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Wine growers 1

Wine producers 2

Catering facilities 3

Accommodation facilities 4

Other people involved in the tourism

industry5

Public and Private Sector Bodies 6

Local Government Organisations 7

Central Government / Broader Public

Sector 8

Local community 9

Other (please specify) 10



163

Part C:

Limiting factors of wine tourism development

If you agree that wine tourism in the Regional Unit of Ioannina is

not adequately developed, which are the main limiting factors?

Please use the following graduated scale to evaluate the relevant importance of eachof the following limiting factors, in which: NI: Not Important, SI: Slightly Important, I:

Important, VI: Very Important, VI: Extremely Important. Please choose the right box.

C1. Factors related to the wine industry NI SI I VI EI

C1.1. Limited number of wineries at Epirus 1 2 3 4 5

C1.2. The production of wine at Epirus is not

enough to cover possible demand 1

2

3

4

5

C1.3. The distance of wineries from developed

tourist areas and urban centres 1 2 3 4 5

C1.4. Quality of produced wine products 1 2 3 4 5

C1.5. Ineffective management of the wine brand

of Epirus 1 2 3 4 5

C1.6. Weak visibility of the visitable wineries of

Epirus 1 2 3 4 5

C1.7. Insufficient signage at the existing wine

route 1

2

3

4

5

C1.8. Limited number of events held by visitable

wineries 1 2 3 4 5

C1.9. Insufficient financial resources, restricting

investments 1 2 3 4 5

C1.10. Infrastructure level available at the

visitable wineries 1 2 3 4 5

C1.11. Limited provision of financial incentives for

winemakers to create tourism infrastructure 1 2 3 4 5

C1.12. Limited cooperation (lack of coordination)

between wineries

1

2

3

4

5

C1.13. Strong orientation of winemakers towards

the product or production - tourism is not a

significant priority for them 1 2 3 4 5

C1.14. Level of training of winemakers and other

involved parties in relation to tourism or

marketing1 2 3 4 5

C1.15. Absence of institutional framework for

wine tourism 1 2 3 4 5



C2. Factors related to the tourism industry NI SI I VI EI

C2.1. Limited current tourism resources of Epirus 1 2 3 4 5

C2.2. Level of infrastructure providing access toEpirus 1 2 3 4 5

C2.3. Level of tourism infrastructure of Epirus 1 2 3 4 5

C2.4. Level of tourism infrastructure in wine

regions of the Regional Unit of Ioannina 1 2 3 4 5

C2.5. Level of infrastructure in Epirus, in general 1 2 3 4 5

C2.6. Inadequate utilisation of the local

gastronomy by catering enterprises 1 2 3 4 5

C2.7. Inadequate usage of Epirus’ wines bycatering and accommodation enterprises 1 2 3 4 5

C2.8. Current situation regarding tourism

advertisement of Epirus 1 2 3 4 5

C2.9. Low degree of commitment of people

involved in tourism 1 2 3 4 5

C2.10. Level of training of the involved parties (in

catering and accommodation) in relation to

tourism and business management1 2 3 4 5

C2.11. Lack of cooperation among tourism

entrepreneurs 1 2 3 4 5

study_for_the_development_of_wine_tourism_in_greek_crossborder_area.pdf

Documents