Local Authority’s Strategic Management in Tourism: The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Case Study

Supervisor:
Co-Supervisor:
Postgraduate Dissertation
“Local Authority’s Strategic Management in Tourism: The
Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Case Study”
Parthena Konstantinidou
SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
MASTER’S DEGREE PROGRAMME IN BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Varvara Myloni
Dimitrios Manolopoulos

• Strategic Management in public sector is new practice for Greece. Just over the
last decades it has begun to occupy ground as a practice with many points that
have not yet been clarified.
• Tourism in Greece is a key element of economic activity in the country and is one
of the most important sectors of the economy if not the most important
• The role played by the Local Authorities in development of tourism is particularly
important. Local authorities need to align their activities with their changing
internal and external environment, and through strategic management they must
decide on a vision and mission, advance their goals and evaluate and use their
resources by successfully fulfilling not only missions and goals but also continued
survival and effectiveness in the tourism sector.
29/11/2019 Postgraduate Dissertation 2

Purpose of the dissertation:
Explore the proper the use of strategic management in local authorities in the field
of tourism development.
Answer whether local authorities in the region have a common focus on tourism
issues and whether their actions are complementary or fragmentary.
A case study of the region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace to explore its potential
as a 2nd degree local government body, in collaboration with the other institutions of
the region, to contribute to regional development through training, information,
visibility and financing of tourism, but also through partnerships and to promote
new forms of tourism, based on the principles of the strategic management, with the
aim of reducing unemployment, creating economic prosperity and the overall
development of the Region.

The structure of this dissertation:
• Introduction
• Strategy and strategic management
• Public Sector, public administration and strategic management
• Tourism
• The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
• Methodology of the research
• Case Study: SWOT Analysis Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace
• The qualitative research results
• General conclusions, References, Appendix A: “Basic Data for tourism”,
Appendix B: “The questionnaire”

General methodology
The methodology used is a combined approach
1. A theoretical approach of the case study based on the several studies and data
review that provided a broader view of the subject, the case study of the region of
Eastern Macedonia and Thrace was examined and a Bibliographic Review (studies,
books, articles, network, as well as reports and Statistics from the Greek Statistical
Service and the Bank of Greece) was used for secondary research.
2. A qualitative research with data questionnaire and face to face interview –(due to
the limited number of the employee) . The qualitative research has made it possible
to assess the views of local government employees on tourism from across the
Region. The qualitative research has been made with a questionnaire send by e-mail
or were completed after meetings. There was a telephone conversation with the
respondents who, in addition to the answers, also expressed their opinion about this
dissertation.

Implementing strategic management
Source: adapted from Daft (2010) page 193

29/11/2019
7
“Local Authority’s Strategic Management in Tourism:
The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Case
Study”
Contribution of Tourism in Regional
GDP

29/11/2019
8
What is a tourist product?

29/11/2019
9
The primary tourist product
NATURE: Coastline, National parks, Natura
regions, Fauna & Flora, Mountain and Sea,
Alternates and contrasts, alternative
activities, untouched landscapes discrete
images
CULTURE : Myths and History, Historical
Monuments, Gastronomy and good wine,
Cultural Events and Traditions, Uniqueness,
Rareness, multiculturalism
And LANDSCAPE: Urban and semi-urban
centres, rural centres, islands, picturesque
villages and tourist areas, a lot of features -
close to each other- the Region’s coastline
The secondary tourist product
General infrastructure , administrative services, health services,
public safety,, tourist facilities accommodation, restaurants,
leisure facilities and special tourist infrastructure like ski resorts,
climbing tracks, hang gliding tracks
• “Egnatia” is one of the most important infrastructure projects
in Greece, the Balkans and Europe as it crosses the regions of
Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Central and Western
Macedonia and Epirus. Being the largest motorway (A2) in
Greece (670 km) it starts from Igoumenitsa and ends at the
Evros borderline
• The railway network
• Τwo major ports ( Alexandroupolis & Kavala)
• Hotel Infrastructure and Rooms to let (386 accommodations
and a total of 1.157 rooms)with an occupancy rate for 2017
(for the whole year) in total 36.8%, with Thasos 1st at 53% and
Drama last at 11.9%.
• 7% of the country's total restaurants

29/11/2019
10
Forms of Tourism in the Region and areas of development
Sun, Sea and Sand (mass tourism) Thasos, Kavala, Alexandroupoli, Samothraki, Maronia, Abdera
Skiing Mountain Falakro of Drama
Agritourism Evros, Nestos, Vistonida, Forests of Elatia, Dadia, mountain range of Rodopi, mountainous Evros, Cave of Aggitis of
Drama,
Archaeological Filippi, Maronia, Avdira, Samothraki, Thasos
Sports Nestos, Falakro, Forest of Elatia, Samothraki
Cultural Festival of Filippi, Thasos, Avdira, the Carnival of Xanthi, “Oneiroupoli” of Drama (Christmas “Dreamcity” Festival),
Drama’s International Short Film Festival (every September each year), Folkloric culture (after Christmas traditions or
tradition like Kurban Bajram and Seker Bajram which are the main religious festivals of the Muslim minority), Old
town Festival of Xanthi, Silk festival in Soufli and many other various celabrations and festivals throughout the year.
Architectural The traditional architectural features of the Old town of Xanthi as well as the traditional mountainous settlements in the
area of Echinos in the Prefecture of Xanthi and Kechros in the Prefecture of Rodopi
Thermal baths - Spa Elefteres, Therma, Kessani, Traianoupolis, Lidia
Gastronomy and wine tourism Drama wine festival (Drameonognosia) each May, Wine Festival in all the Regional Districts, Street food festivals,

29/11/2019
11
The case study results
In Greece, a common practice is duplicating
the tourism development plan and the
marketing plan used in another region or
municipality, which have no effects of even
bad effects when implemented because it
will not meet the needs of the region. In
general, this has been avoided by the Region
-yet in municipalities and especially in small
municipalities this is a common practice as
there is no such specialized staffing potential
and resources to commission studies to
individuals. The existing bibliography shows a
repetition of studies compiled without major
updates and little reference to the results of
past actions, no proper feed-back.
The Region’s budget of the tourism promotion program for
2019 was voted to be a total of € 1.846.491 in marketing
actions like : photos, video & spots, small promotion presents,
promotion on gateway, brochures, MEDIA ads, Β2Β workshops,
promotion travels, internet, special promotion actions, digital
applications, participation in Exhibitions, festivals and events,
and evaluation surveys (Region of Eastern Macedonia and
Thrace, 2019). In the same time a glance only in the budgets of
several municipalities reveals that for the same places, same
tourism destinations (photos, videos, promotion) an enormous
amount of financial resources is spent. (e.g. Kavala
municipality: promotion budget for 2019 is 335.000 euros)
(Issuu, 2019)
There is a fragmentation of financial resources - the amount of
budgets and data is too large to be included in the present
research - but the fact that all budgets are in the public site of
www.diavgeia.gr helps every researcher

Rich natural environment, archaeological, historical monuments and cultural attractions, great
biodiversity
Geopolitical position, portal of Greece, Balkans, and Europe
Multicultural cuisine and gastronomic variety, several PDO, PGI products, Interconnection of primary
production with the food sector and tourism. Availability of Charter-type flights for Kavala Airport
from Western and Central European regions
Third choice as a destination in northern Greece, after Halkidiki and Thessaloniki
Satisfactory special tourist infrastructures (ski resort, ski slopes, rural activities
Lack of regional identity as a single tourist– lack of recognizable brand name
Low growth rates, gradual reduction of regional GDP , Small tourism sector participation in regional
GDP
High unemployment rate, Incomplete training of professionals in the tourism sector.
Inability to utilize the airports of Alexandroupolis and Kavala as international hubs
Low competitiveness performance in the region's tourism sector compared to more developed Greek
regions;
Small hotel capacity , Spatial/time-allocated guests, with dependence of some areas (Kavala, Thasos,
Samothraki, Alexandroupolis) by mass tourism.
Visa procedures for visitors from Turkey
Incomplete exploitation and promotion of cultural capital , Inadequate synergies between local
authorities, and Fragmented financing of cultural activities , No feedback of policy implementations
Absence of a tourist DMO (destination management organisation)
W
S

Swot analysis
29/11/2019 13
O
Continuation of regional GDP contraction
Economic developments and the economic crisis affect domestic tourism demand
Negative environment for entrepreneurship in Greece
Volatile tourism market, intense international and European competition, a major threat to tourism in the
region is the competitiveness of neighbouring countries offering a similar product. The main competitors are
Turkey and Bulgaria Exceeding the bearing capacity of tourist developed areas, loss of
attractiveness and competitiveness.
Risk of deterioration due to Tourism development based on mass tourism
Inability to design a single tourist identity and promotion
Continuing over-concentration of tourists in specific areas
complex institutional framework and the overlapping competencies
Continuation of low synergies with the region in the management of environmental and
cultural resources. Uncontrolled/problematic disposal of solid wastes, leading to pollution of
the environment and coastal zone Design deficit in areas of special interest with natural beauty
and tourist interest (network areas Natura 2000, Coastal, Island, mountain).
T
Geographical location, Utilization of the wider external geographic environment (cross-border region,
Mediterranean, emerging Black Sea markets) Utilization of agro-food products in the context of diversification of
the regional tourism product (gastronomic tourism, wine tourism)- link with other local economy’s aspects,
networking of the tourism industry with the sectors of catering, transport, trade and processing Expansion of the
tourist season with the design and development of special tourism products and services Creation of competitive
destinations in northern Greece, with the main axes of culture and environment Inclusion of low-cost companies at
regional airports in the Region, Utilization of financial instruments of the new programming period 2014-2020
Utilization of cross-border programs (e.g. Greece – Bulgaria) Tourist promotion of timeless cultural institutions
(Eleftheria, Carnival, Oneiroupoli Dramas, Draminognosia, Kavala Air Show etc.)

29/11/2019
14
Employees have deeper
understanding and a more
profound approach of the
situation
The purpose the questionnaires was through the given responses
to assess the effectiveness in the implementation of strategic
management in tourism. And to understand the involvement of all
the stakeholders in the process as well as the proper use of the
resources of the region
Selection of respondents
The total number of questionnaires were 50 , 45 people
received finally the questionnaire and 25 responded and were
also interviewed. (working in the Region, Municipalities, Legal
Entities and Managing Authorities, like the National Park of
Rodopi Mountain Range) .

29/11/2019 15
Concern and Bias
the survey was conducted during the pre-election period, the public sector mechanism was busy in many cases
with urgent issues and consequently did not respond to the survey
was a possibility of personal contact and not only by phone and by e-mail the response was better, this led to
over-representation of the neighbouring areas with the place of residence of the writer
The author works in the Regional District of Drama of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, this facilitated
access to information and colleagues and provided a deeper understanding of the procedures and interactions
involved but could have influenced the freedom of expression of colleagues in the same field
the subject of this dissertation is complex - there should be bibliography in tourism, strategic and public sector
issues - the limitation of the extent of the requirements required by the dissertation limits the in depth
theoretical depiction of the situation and also limits the fullest reference to all research findings (budgets,
decisions of bodies, evaluation of bodies), this affects the correct imprinting of the conclusions. The subject of
dissertation could be a more extensive field research

29/11/2019
16

29/11/2019
17
Your organization has a mechanism for monitoring / evaluating / feedback and
redesigning its tourism development goals (eg annual reports, reviews, frequent
meetings, etc.)
A key rule in strategic planning is feedback - an element that is almost
completely missing
Is there effective cooperation between the central government, the region and
municipalities and other tourism stakeholders in your area?
Several questions had to do
with the feedback and only
the central department and
the public sector companies
stated that there was actually
a feedback .

29/11/2019
18
With limited resources available, not all high priority actions should be considered.
Please indicate which tactics are worth new / continuous investments and which may
be considered as less priority for your area.
1. improving the attractiveness of the main roads and the city
2. opportunities to get to know the culture, heritage and the arts of the region
3. opportunities to get to know the agricultural landscapes of the region (farms, wineries,
etc.)
4. to develop / improve infrastructure to enjoy outdoor recreation and natural tourism
1. to develop / expand the paths / paths for outdoor recreation
2. to increase the adoption of sustainable business practices in the tourism sector
3. to develop points for recreation and rest on the road network (kiosks, public toilets, etc.)
4. developing interpretative signs for visitors
5. to offer more experiences with guides to visitors
6. to provide opportunities for linking visitors with volunteer activities in the area (eg voluntary
tourism)

29/11/2019 19
With limited resources available, not all high priority actions should be considered.
Please indicate which training actions are worth new / continuous investments and
which may be considered as less priority for your area.
1. Organization of travel / seminar familiarization with the area for staff of
tourist departments, visitor centers throughout the region
2. Organization of training seminars for professionals
3. Strengthening the role of post-secondary and tertiary education in
tourism
4. Actions to familiarize with regional initiatives in the tourism sector
There is a very high demand for training for tourism staff (very high
priority), this finding comes from questions 18 and 19, with 76% of the
respondents choosing the need for staff training.
Creating a regional DMO is the second answer chosen (56%).
Answer to questions on planning and
management actions are worth new /
continuous investments and which may be
considered as less priority for your area were :
Increasing tourism season, Tourism
development with emphasis on the
preservation of local goods and Enhancing the
presence of the region in social media and
improving infrastructure are considered of
higher priority.
The figure here shows the answers on training
actions:

29/11/2019
20
19. Which of the following actions should more initiatives be taken by the Region
to promote tourism in the region (up to 4 responses)
Τhe questions concern the implementation of strategic management of the research
subject and the means provided for its implementation.
Questions on implementing
strategic management show that
it was more law enforcement
than a conscious choice to work
with strategic management.
Note : Respondents and
especially those in charge
reported that local government
officials should have been
trained prior to any action.
It is noticeable that also in
answer in the open-ended
questions the major concern is
the creation of a Regional DMO,
Personnel training/education
and creation of separate tourism
directorate ion the Region. All
this have been mentioned in the
interviews as well as derived
from the fixed questions.

29/11/2019 21
The main problem to have more answers was the bad timing. During the survey local elections and
general elections were held, so the main excuse for the postponement of completing the
questionnaire was the workload. Some employees were busy due to electoral processes.
Study limitations and key findings
From the answers given and the personal contact with the respondents, the following conclusions can be
drawn:
1. There is a problem of co-ordination and cooperation between the stakeholders- shown from a lot of
answers given (question 6, points 9-11 question 11, 12).
2. Most of the respondents suggested that there should be an effort to train the staff involved in tourism
3. On priority themes there is a relative consensus on the most important actions - such as highlighting
natural and cultural resources and highlighting gastronomic products and invest in better infrastructures
4. The institutions have drafted a strategic development plan, but this was probably because it was required
by law and not because it was made aware of the actors.
5. There a lack of proper feedback and evaluation on applying the principles of strategic management, as
only one respondent said that they use evaluations and measurable outcomes.

29/11/2019 22
6. The main source of information for the budgets of the municipalities and the Region is the
"Diavgeia" platform, from which one can draw any information for expenses in the tourist
visibility of the Region, as there is a reluctance to give financial data - due to the pre-election
period in local government and due to time restrictions.
7. Events and actions throughout the Region are too many but there is no coordination to
make them right, and one can override the other. A typical example is taken place in Drama,
where in 2019 the event concerning the promotion of the local wine "Draminognosia" with a
budget of 35,000 euros coincided with event of the “100 year memory of the Pontic
Genocide,” with the consequence that some the events of the wine festival, which every year
gathers a host of visitors from all over Greece, were cancelled.
8. a lot of economic resources invested in tourism promotion – sometimes in the same things
from several stakeholders.
9. There does not seem to be yet a single regional perception - but local interventions, a
reason why the Region is not yet a recognized Brandname.

29/11/2019 23
Generally, the local authorities in the area encounter three problems:
a. incomplete funding
b. non-flexible administrative structures
c. incomplete staffing and poor training
These problems add to the fact that they are not sufficiently oriented on the tourist market, and Many
destinations have difficulty making the most of their attractions, which limits the possibilities for tourism
development.
Changing the organization chart of the Region in order to have an autonomous structure responsible for
tourism would help to a more efficient tourism policy.
In municipalities the reality is not one: other municipalities have an office or department of tourism or an
independent structure (eg Public Enterprise) responsible for tourism and others simply have this
competence in the mayor's office.
Local Authorities in Eastern Macedonia and Thrace slowly began to
incorporate strategic management in their policies. The survey and the
case study revealed that an extended tourism product policy is needed in
comparison with the traditional perception of "general" marketing
(industrial goods). The lack of a known brand name is evident, and this
was also the result of discussions with the respondents.

29/11/2019 24
Another important point is the answer by most respondents that the creation of a Regional
Destination Management Organization (DMO) would help to promote cooperation and
effectiveness in the tourism promotion of the area.
A further research could reveal enormous amount of funds spent in marketing purposes
that could be saved. Α lot of money is spent on promotion - money that could be well
planned by all involved to save a great deal, but this requires further research.
The present research has also provided quite a few economic data, for example the amount
of tourist promotion budgets of some Municipalities. Many of these were spent on
publications and actions that overlapped with the actions of the Region. As most
respondents said this could be avoided by the creation of a regional DMO who could act as a
guide to better planning, and further research will be needed - especially in the economic
field, which is a sensitive issue, especially after the financial crisis.

29/11/2019 25
In conclusion, strategic management in the Public Sector, and specially in local government, is poorly implemented
according to the answers given, on the other hand there has been an effort in implementing tools of strategic
management for tourism from all the stakeholders involved. As the data shows Region of Eastern Macedonia has
done some progress in tourism. Yet, in order to have a more modern and update local authority, the tools used
require more study and the staff needs more training. Local authority with its characteristics is a difficult field of
strategic management and only the deeper study will lead to the right directions.
Finally, since the economic component is one of the most important factors, a whole new research could only be
done about the financial part - the proper management of the resources allocated to tourism and the unified
regional strategy on the subject.

29/11/2019
26

Local Authority’s Strategic Management in Tourism: The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Case Study

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

What's hot

What's hot (20)

Similar to Local Authority’s Strategic Management in Tourism: The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Case Study

Similar to Local Authority’s Strategic Management in Tourism: The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Case Study (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (14)

Local Authority’s Strategic Management in Tourism: The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Case Study