Sea tourism as a tool for economic recovery after the pandemic

A number of Mediterranean countries, whose most important economic sector is tourism, have been seriously affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Two of them - Greece and Croatia, while developing strategies for the recovery of their tourism sector, see sea tourism as a key position in the implementation of these plans.

In Greece, the modernization of yacht marinas and port infrastructure is one of the priority areas to be addressed in a new 10-year roadmap for the development of the Greek tourism industry as part of economic recovery initiatives to help the country cope with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to a news report on the Greek Travel Pages, the roadmap is currently in public consultation.

Along with the modernization of marinas and port infrastructure, airports, transport and the seaplane network will be improved.

In addition, the priorities include the revision of the territorial planning rules and the diversification of the Greek tourism product. These recommendations were formulated by the so-called "Pissarides Committee", a think tank headed by the Nobel laureate economist Christopher Pissarides.

The expansion of maritime tourism is seen as one of the most important areas for the growth of Greece's tourism industry and helping it cope with the impact of Covid-19 in 2020.

Along with nautical tourism, the report also highlights cultural tourism as an area of potential. In particular with regard to nautical tourism, the report states that "the modernization of port and yacht berth infrastructure should be carried out immediately and in a targeted manner, with priority given to the development of Greece as a base for tourist accommodation."

It also emphasizes the need for increased investment in technology and tourism infrastructure to meet the growing demands for safety and well-being, especially in the post-racist period. This includes areas such as the country's seaplane networks, accelerating the digitalization of the tourism sector to enhance contactless check-in and check-out, e-menus, and other digital applications to be used on cell phones.

The Croatian Ministry of Tourism and Sports recently held the first meeting dedicated to the restoration and development of the country's tourism industry. Croatia's long coastline, its vast fleet of boats and charter yachts, and many good marinas are an important part of the new strategy.

According to the Total Croatia News report, HRTurizam has announced the creation of a council comprised of key representatives from the tourism and travel sectors, including marinas, hotel and small hotel associations, camps, agencies, catering and trade unions.

At the first meeting of the Council, participants agreed that health is an undeniable priority at this time and that compliance with measures related to Covid-19 will contribute to a faster return to normal tourism activities. They also discussed measures to reduce the preparation time for the 2021 tourist season.

Another fundamental aspect of the discussion was the compensatory measures of the Croatian government and its support for the preservation of jobs. In this regard, the hope was expressed that they would be continued.

“Currently, more than ever, cooperation is needed, as the tourism sector is one of the most affected by the pandemic,” said Minister of Tourism Nikolina Brnyats. “The potential of European funds is fully used for the further development of the tourism sector to develop on a solid basis. At the end of the first meeting, it was decided to move towards cooperation, openness and greater attention to the internal guest, as well as the importance of common security protocols that are being prepared. "

Among the tourism organizations that took part in the meeting were the Association HGK "Marinas", the Association for the Accommodation of Tourists on Boats.

03.01.2021