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Abstract
An association of Wine Roads was developed in Greece at the beginning of
the 1990s in an attempt to boost rural tourism. The association was created
by wine producers in the regions of Macedonia and was then extended to
Epirus, Thessaly and Thrace. Its main purpose has been the promotion of
wine companies and the association's regional members, while its specific
targets have been the development of local tourism, the support of cultural
heritage and the improvement of product quality and related services. The
Wine Roads initiative has received substantial financial support from the
European Union and the State of Greece, mainly through the LEADER II
program. However, socioeconomic results for the participating companies
and regions appear to differ. An assessment using a questionnaire showed a
positive effect on the enhancement of relations among members, the increase
in tourist visits, publicity for the regions and cultural events. In contrast,
there have been no significant positive effects on employment. Finally, it
should be noted that some of the participating districts and companies have
been more active and have taken better advantage of this initiative.