Alternative Tourism, a Means to Agricultural and Rural Areas’ Sustainability: Municipality of Pella Case ^†

Abstract

This study explores the development potential of thematic tourism in the Municipality of Pella, Northern Greece. It examines local residents’ perceptions regarding tourism as a growth strategy, evaluates current informational and promotional efforts by the local government, and assesses the public’s willingness to participate in tourism activities. A structured questionnaire was distributed to a representative sample of residents that was given both in person and via the internet. Quantitative analysis revealed that while respondents generally support the idea of tourism development and feel moderately informed, there is a strong perception that the municipality’s efforts to promote tourism are insufficient. Key factors influencing residents’ attitudes include age, level of education, and personal involvement with tourism. The findings suggest that thematic tourism could serve as a viable development path, provided that local authorities implement targeted education, infrastructure, and promotion strategies. This study recommends enhanced cooperation between public institutions and local stakeholders to support sustainable tourism growth. It is suggested, therefore, to increase the depth of focus given in the development of an innovative agricultural area development model that will combine traditional agriculture with agritourism and the remaining types according to each place’s capabilities.

1. Introduction

Greece is a major tourism destination, attracting over 40 million visitors annually [1], primarily through the “sea, sun, sand” model that promotes mass tourism. Approximately 90.5% of tourism revenue is generated by the five most popular regions of the country [2], a statistic that underscores concerns for the amount of focus given to the implementation of more sophisticated, alternative tourism [3].

The matter arises from the fact that Greece is not exclusively composed of islands and “3S” locations. The country possesses significant natural and geographical resources that remain largely underutilized [4,5]. Furthermore, the side effects of mass tourism are becoming increasingly evident: with the constant growth of arrivals in popular locations, infrastructure struggles to cope, while services and facilities are insufficient to support the seasonal overpopulation [6,7]. Moreover, the emphasis on raw tourist volume has considerable impacts on cultural, societal, and environmental dimensions [4,8,9]. Given that tourism is highly dependent on social acceptance, this study aims to understand residents’ views towards building a tourism-oriented development model [10].

The specific tourism model being studied is thematic tourism, which includes cultural, historical, religious, and gastronomic travel experiences. It is increasingly recognized as a strategic tool for regional development in rural and semi-urban municipalities such as Pella [11,12]. This research focuses on the Municipality of Pella to understand how local communities perceive tourism and to evaluate the readiness of the area for thematic tourism development [13].

2. Methods

This research employed a quantitative approach using a structured questionnaire, which was distributed to 69 residents of various demographic profiles within the Municipality of Pella. The questionnaire included closed-ended and Likert-scale questions addressing views on tourism, awareness of local government initiatives, infrastructure and personal willingness to adapt to the changes caused by tourism.

3. Results and Discussion

A total of 65% of participants considered the current tourism’s contribution to local economic growth negligible, with only 14% rating it positively. Regarding awareness of the municipal administration’s actions and information dissemination about local tourism, 70% reported being uninformed. On municipal tourism product management, 74% expressed dissatisfaction. Concerning tourism prospects, 70% believe that there is potential for alternative tourism growth in Pella. Support for development was nearly universal, with 96% in favor of alternative tourism growth. Willingness to adapt was also high, with 94% indicating they would adjust to lifestyle changes linked with increased tourism.

The most important forms of alternative tourism according to the local population’s perception were agritourism (79.7%), cultural tourism (78.3%), and athletic tourism (73.9%). Religious tourism (56.5%) and ecotourism (47.8%) followed. Lower preferences were expressed for conference tourism (43.5%), wine tourism (42%), and geotourism (24.6%).

The Municipality of Pella holds promising potential for thematic tourism, but its success depends heavily on strategic planning and inclusive governance [4,11]. Efforts should focus on increasing public awareness, improving infrastructure, and facilitating collaboration between municipal authorities and citizens [9,10,12]. Long-term success will require continuous investment in education, infrastructure and public service development, heritage preservation, and promotional activities tailored to both domestic and international audiences [8,13].

Similar findings have been reported in other European contexts. For example, studies on Santorini highlight how overtourism and limited infrastructure threaten sustainability [13], while research in the South Aegean demonstrates the importance of carrying capacity management in ensuring balanced development [12]. Internationally, case studies from Spain and Italy have shown that thematic and agritourism can effectively diversify local economies and reduce pressure on mass tourism hotspots [9].