A new trend in tourism is expanded in the world travel industry. This is about Slow Tourism, a version of the slow movement in travel area which has its origins on the movement of slow food.
According to a new survey of the University of Aegean, the new type of tourism is based on the independent exploring of a place from the visitor himself.
This trend remarks a deep change in tourism, compared with the massive holiday packages that the travel agencies propose. Nowadays the main trend in tourism is the gaining of experiences in an environmentally friendly way. Slow tourism fulfills the demands of environmental sustainability, through slow traveling which ensures for the tourist meaningful sightseeing, consisting interaction with local people and awareness of the local culture. All the above are in contrast with the spirit of fast tourism.
Until today massive, organized trips by travel agencies didn’t offer the chance to travelers to discover the visiting place neither to meet the local people nor to get know their tradition through gastronomy, customs, and culture. Fast experiences, that don’t last for a long time, dull memories are the final impressions of fast tourism travel.
The antidote against fast tourism is a slow journey. Instead of seeing and visiting as many places as possible slow tourism proposes a slow pleasant trip which is the substance of holiday. In this way of traveling the visitor has the opportunity to be part of the local life and get bounds with the place and the residents. As a result, the visitors stay in a place or a small area at least for a week.
Today there is a net of cities that mote slow tourism (www.cittaslow. org). These cities are putting forward the idea of “regaining time”, the idea that in a trip the most important player is the human been, they respect peoples health, the authentic products, good food, and local tradition. Slow tourism means also the enjoyment of works of art and of nature. In addition, slow tourism appreciates local religion fests and events.
The survey of the University of Aegean comes to the conclusion that due to the geological and geographic specify of the Cycladic islands, they are ideal for slow traveling. In this way, it would be possible visitors with cultural interests to get know those islands.
A sailing charter in Greece and the Cycladic islands from Greek Water Yachts can be considered as slow travel in the islands. Discover the flora and fauna, local cuisine or authentic people. We are waiting for you!
