Argolic Trails Development Workshop
THE CHALLENGE
The Argolic Gulf and its surrounding landscapes host exceptional natural and cultural heritage, with strong potential for sustainable tourism through hiking and cycling trails. Yet efforts to develop trail networks in Greece are often fragmented, short-lived, or poorly designed due to limited expertise and lack of cross-sector coordination.
Despite investments of time and resources by local authorities and community groups, the lack of strategic planning and coordination has left trail networks incomplete and underutilised. In Argolis, insufficient collaboration between municipalities, regional authorities, businesses, and local residents has prevented trails from becoming a shared development tool capable of supporting long-term, sustainable tourism and local economic opportunities.
THE PROJECT
In Octover 2023, AEF supported Paths of Greece to organise the Argolic Trails Development Workshop, a participatory event that brought together, for the first time, all key stakeholders -local governments, regional authorities, NGOs, businesses, and residents, to jointly discuss and plan trail development across Argolis.
The workshop included:
- Presentations of successful trail development models from other regions in Greece.
- A short hike to inspire participants and connect discussions to the natural landscape.
- Guided brainstorming sessions and idea grouping to create actionable proposals.
- The drafting of initial guidelines for a business plan to develop trail networks across Argolis.
This inclusive process ensured that trails would be considered a shared asset, strengthening cooperation and laying the foundation for a regional hiking tourism strategy.
OUTCOMES
- 100+ participants engaged, representing residents, NGOs, businesses, and regional authorities.
- First-ever joint discussion on trails involving the municipalities of Nafplio, Argos, and Epidaurus.
- Strong stakeholder buy-in, including participation from the Chamber of Commerce and the Region of Peloponnese.
- New collaborations established between local groups and trail experts, with follow-up workshops planned.
- Educational engagement launched, with agreement to mentor a high school in Argos on trails as a sustainable business opportunity.
- High public visibility, with extensive local media coverage and social media reach.
- Next steps identified, including follow-up meetings to link trail development with local tourism businesses.
RELATED
- Ongoing
- Completed
- Completed