Benchmarking of Cave Tourism Destinations in Greece

Abstract

The current article presents the findings of a comparative evaluation of selected, already developed or developing cave tourism destinations in Greece, with the purpose of recognizing, highlighting, and disseminating good practices regarding the management and capitalization of caves. Cave tourism is a promising special form of tourism that attracts people with a variety of interests. This is because caves are both impressive sights and valuable sources of scientific knowledge, combining naturalistic, geological, archaeological, and environmental interest. Thus, show caves are valuable resources, potential tourist attractions, and axes of tourist development for their wider areas. The challenge of balancing the different needs entailed by conservation, on the one hand, and by exploitation, on the other, of an attraction of such ecological and cultural importance, dictates the need for research and exchange of knowledge, experience, and good practices. To locate and diffuse good practices, the method of benchmarking was selected. The design of the methodology according to benchmarking principles led to the selection of the destinations assessed, the definition of the evaluation criteria, and the way of gathering and comparing data. The research process highlighted specific features of the caves as determining factors for attractiveness and recognition, some of which are modifiable and can form suggestions for tourist capitalization. The interpretation of the findings results in policy recommendations for better management and successful promotion of cave destinations. Highlights: • Caves can be important tourist attractions, leading local development in non-tourist areas. • Benchmarking sheds light to overlooked aspects of tourist attractions. • Tourist development of caves doesn’t depend only on unchanging factors such as location and décor.

Keywords

• Cave Tourism
• Show Caves
• Cave Destinations
• Benchmarking
• Tourism Development
• Greek Caves