The Contribution of Alternative Forms of Tourism in Sustainable Tourism Development: The Case of the Island of Kalymnos

Abstract

The poles of tourism attraction in Greece are specific and usually are large islands, with special infrastructure and leisure facilities. Nowadays, mass tourism is intense in our country. The factors that explain the development of this form of tourism in our country are the natural environment, the cultural wealth, the good climate, the kind hospitality and the rich history. This type of tourism has many negative effects on the economy, the society, the culture and the environment. In order to face the impacts, sustainable tourism development should be promoted through the development of alternative forms of tourism. Alternative tourism escapes from the standards of mass tourism and has more prominent features, such as contact with nature, avoiding shared destinations and tourist packages, sport, respect for the environment, etc. This article will study the contribution of tourism to economic, social and cultural issues as well as the environment of the island Kalymnos. On the island climbing tourism and diving tourism are developing. The island of Kalymnos is an important attraction for climbers because it is considered to be the best destination due to the existence of steep rocks in many parts of the island. Climbing tourism has contributed significantly to the prolongation of the tourist season during the autumn months. Kalymnos ranks first in climbing destinations worldwide with 80 climbing fields and 2500 climbing routes. Along with climbing, an attempt is made to develop the diving, since the island of Kalymnos has four diving routes, but so far it is at an early stage. Kalymnos has the ability to create a diving park. The diving park is directly linked to tourism development, but also to the protection of marine biodiversity. At the present article, an effort will be made to explain how alternative forms of tourism could help to improve tourism and local economy—identifying relevant problems—and, finally, some conclusions will be drawn.