Harry Coccossis

The ESDP relevance to a distant partner: Greece

Greece is an untypical case from a territorial planning perspective at a European level as it faces constraints and limitations arising by its peripheral position and the limited accessibility to major economic agglomerations and markets. The opportunities of benefiting from a European spatial development strategy are further reduced by missing neighbours, external and internal asymmetries. From the Greek point of view, European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) can be evaluated in terms of three different axes of reflection: improving linkages and spatial relationships to neighbouring countries (particularly European Union member states); bringing national level issues to the European agenda of spatial planning policies; bringing to the national level of spatial planning European-wide relevant issues. In this view ESDP does not reflect the particularities of spatial development in Greece (lack of territorial cohesion, fragmented national geographic space, etc.) but had indirect beneficial effects on the Greek planning system at a national level in spreading institutional innovation, good practices, etc. However, the influence which the ESDP is likely to have on spatial organization and development remains in doubt.

Cultural heritage, local resources and sustainable tourism

Tourism is a complex socio-economic phenomenon based on the growing needs of modern societies for recreation and leisure. It has become a major economic activity worldwide and a priority field in policy making at local, regional, national, supranational and international level. The growth of tourism has brought forward to the attention of policy making its potential, but also its social, economic and environmental impacts. Cultural heritage is at the basis of attracting tourists in Europe as well as in several places around the world. The impacts of tourism have led modern societies to reconsider their development paths and options. Sustainable development of tourism is becoming a priority. In the search for sustainable tourism strategies managing cultural heritage and local resources has become a central concern. Relevant policy issues are discussed.

The Use Of Typologies In Tourism Planning: Problems And Conflicts

Tourism is a worldwide socioeconomic phenomenon. Its environmental, social and economic aspects have been for years at the centre of interest of policy making and research communities. Sustainable tourism is a concept that mainly reflects the need for comprehensive analysis, integrated planning and management of tourism. In this respect, it is important to develop appropriate analytical and policy tools for tourism, particularly to reflect the different conditions, characteristics and patterns of tourism development in geographic space. Spatial typologies for tourism can be an effective tool for this purpose. The main scope of this chapter is to analyse the concept, the need and the use of typologies in the overall planning process and in the tourism planning process specifically.

Scenario tools for environmental planning. Supporting integrated coastal zone and water resources management in two Greek islands

This article critically examines the usefulness of scenarios in supporting environment-development planning, drawing from the experience of two differentiated case studies: integrated coastal zone in the Greek island of Rhodes (a country pilot project of the Coastal Area Management Programme implemented under the auspices of UNEPs Mediterranean Action Plan) and a more recent application on Integrated Water Resources Management in the Greek island of Naxos. In the first case, the expert-led scenarios have provided input to the formal spatial planning. They were constructed in a systematic manner, incorporating spatial particularities, adopting a top-down and a bottom-up approach. Scenarios for Rhodes explored future opportunities, constraints and threats arising from a variety of development-environment scenarios. In the case of Naxos, scenarios were developed through a participatory process. They described various political and economic futures for the island, focussing mainly on water resources management. The advantages and limitations from the different use of scenario method are discussed.