As part of the proceedings of the 9th Pan-Hellenic Trail Meeting, which took place in Polykastro, Kilkis (Central Macedonia-Greece), on 9 - 11 October, the European project DETOUR was showcased by Michael Angelos Chisiridis, on behalf of the Mediterranean Centre of Environment. The presentation highlighted the prospects and benefits of the project’s pilot implementation along the trails of Mounts Olympus, Kissavos and Mavrovouni.

The event served as a key meeting point for hiking tourism in Greece, with this year’s edition focusing on sustainable tourism, environmental protection and the institutional framework for biodiversity management with sections on integration of walking routes with cultural heritage, archaeological sites, wine tourism and local gastronomy, as well as the crucial role played by local communities and volunteers.

The conference programme featured a diverse panel of speakers comprising representatives of local government, academics, management bodies, researchers and tourism professionals, whilst the audience included mountaineers, hiking and nature-loving associations, voluntary groups, organisations and outdoor tourism entrepreneurs from across the country.

Presenting DETOUR to this highly engaged and targeted audience provided an opportunity to communicate the project’s objectives and activities, whilst at the same time, significantly enhanced networking with other regions and local development initiatives based on walking and cycling tourism, forging strong bridges of cooperation for the future of Greece’s trails.

[Credits: MCE]