MAKING ATHENS ATTRACTIVE AGAIN!

Athens is one of the most popular destinations in Greece to visit both for its historical meaning and cultural wealth but also for it's vivid nightlife and beautiful people.

However, since the olympic Games in 2004 it has been noted that Athens image as a tourism destination has been tarnished, with many visitors thinking that it is over-polluted, chaotic and a disappointment.

Members of the Greek association of travel professionals want this to change and are asking the new Major of Athens to take action to improve the image of such a vibrant and beautiful city.

Below is a number of practical suggestions they put forward:

- Make immediate and significant efforts to restore the cleanliness across the city of Athens
- Resolve the issue of stray animals and find a way to manage them and improve their lives
- Enhance the presence of the Municipal Police mostly downtown, especially in all tourist centers to increase sense of safety and tackle petty crime
- Offer the necessary care to drug addicts and deter them from gathering in groups in the city's squares
- Make Athens an area friendly and attractive to the foreign visitor, informing people on it's vivid cultural life and unique offerings
- Minimise the tables and chairs and other commercial activities that occupy pavements etc and restrict open spaces
- Give attention to detail and exercise policies and laws that are in place to improve everyone's life in the city just like during the Olympic Games.
- All staff should be courteous, friendly, with a smile and well presented in order to offer their help and excellent customer service to visitors and citizens alike.

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Is your Hotel serious about sustainable tourism?

-Do you have a written policy regarding the environment and local people?

- Describe the single contribution to conservation or local people that you are most
proud of.

- How do you measure your contribution to conservation and local communities?

- How many local people do you employ, what % is this of the total, and are any in management positions?

- What have you specifically done to help protect the environment and support conservation, and which local charities or initiatives do you work with?

- What % of produce and services are sourced from within 25km of your hotel?

- How do you treat waste water (marine ecosystems and other wildlife is being destroyed by pumping effluent out to sea), and how do you heat their building (i.e solar)?

- What information and advice is provided to tourists on local cultures and customs?

- Do you employ guides from the local community (local guides not only provide unmatched insights into local cultures, but are also aware of areas/behaviour that might cause offence among local people)?

- Do you have any ideas on how you might get customers involved with local people and conservation in a worthwhile and rewarding way for customers and the destination.

 Finally, observe your staff's attitude towards sustainability & the environment. A policy might exist but change only happens with the right attitude.

Remember no-one is perfect but we should all do our best to be responsible and promote sustainability!