Tourism with a cultural slant
Greece may be full of cultural landmarks, yet to thousands of tourists who choose this country as a destination it is principally known for its sunny beaches, rare light and relaxing holidays. Vacationing in Greece can, however, be much more than just spending time on the beach. It can also be a learning experience in the tradition and history of this country and a process of cultural discovery. It is with this frame of mind that two young people, Anna Wenneker and her partner Babis Tsoutsas, set up «aegeanscapes» (website at www.aegeanscapes.com) and have begun organizing vacations with a cultural slant. Starting this year they have designed a one-week trip to either Patmos or Paros. If sufficient demand proves the trip to be a success, other destinations will be added. Wenneker and her partner are also considering planning culturally oriented vacations in winter resorts such as Pelion. Guided tours around each region’s cultural landmarks are part of the trip. On the island of Patmos for example, a visit to the Monastery of St John will give the visitor a taste of the cultural heritage of Greece. Besides the tours, aegeanscapes offers the visitor a selection of courses and workshops, not all of them related to Greece. The trip to Patmos includes workshops on landscape painting, raku pottery (a Japanese technique of pottery making that employs quick firing at high temperatures), icon painting and creative intuition (a combination of yoga and meditation). Each visitor may select one of the above workshops, which are programmed on a five-hour basis daily. The trip to Paros offers only the landscape-painting workshop. Each workshop is limited to a maximum of 10 participants. Accommodation and meals are covered in the package, as are tuition fees and equipment required for the workshops. Also included are special trips around the island. Planned as an exclusive trip, the fees amount to 1,100 euros per person for the one week in Patmos, but there is a 20 percent discount for those who do not wish to participate in any of the workshops. The trip is on the expensive side yet organizers promise boutique-type, luxurious hotels with a distinct character. The idea is to offer the best possible experience that combines exposure to the country’s history and civilization together with a more creative way of spending one’s time. In a country where tourism is a vital source of income, coming up with alternative forms of tourism may prove to be instrumental. Efforts toward promoting culturally oriented trips should also be credited to the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO). Yet the GNTO’s role is to create the infrastructure for this to happen; to provide the incentives for private companies rather than offering specific packages. Although still at its very beginning, such efforts may become more intense in the future. Concepts such as the one developed by aegeanscapes may serve as an example for more ideas that will help enrich the nature of tourism in Greece.
