How Halki became a model of sustainable tourism development

The small island of Halki has become a model of sustainable tourism development, welcoming more than 150,000 visitors every summer while ensuring a high quality of life for its residents, housing for public servants, and an impressive reduction in its environmental footprint. housing for public officials, and an impressive reduction in its environmental footprint.

“Halki lives mainly from tourism,” the island’s mayor, Angelos Fragakis, told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA), Angelos Fragakis, emphasizing that businesses operating in tourism (rooms to let, taverns, beaches, shops) are owned and managed by the residents themselves. In total, the island has about 850 beds, including a 19-room municipal guesthouse which, according to the mayor, “is full.”

The island’s vitality is not limited to tourism. Halki has about 250 permanent residents, as well as 15 professional fishermen who engage in seasonal fishing. During the tourist season, visitors come mainly from Great Britain, France, and Italy, while many are “repeaters” who return every year to enjoy the “clear waters, hospitality, gastronomy, and tranquility,“ as Mr. Fragakis characteristically says, emphasizing that the island is ”ideal for families.”

The local community is holding up well

One of the island’s key achievements is the balance between tourism and the daily lives of its residents. Despite high occupancy rates, there are no problems with housing for public servants. “So far, we have had no problems finding accommodation for doctors, teachers, port authorities, etc. The community respects them,“ says the mayor, adding that ”we have built two accommodations that we provide free of charge to rural doctors who come at regular intervals.”

This year, thanks to government incentives, the island is also hosting a trainee doctor who “stays for up to two months and creates a database of medical records for patients, which is extremely important for us,” he notes.

Eco island – a model of sustainability

The transformation of Halki into an “eco island” is not just a green label. Starting in 2021, as part of a Greek government initiative to promote sustainable development on small islands, Halki is now a model for the entire Mediterranean.

“We are the first eco island, an initiative of the Greek government to transform small islands into sustainable destinations. Many actions have been taken: electric cars, chargers, telemedicine, a 5G network, a technology workshop for children, etc.,” explains Angelos Fragakis. Perhaps the most impressive achievement is the 1-megawatt photovoltaic park operated by the energy community, in which the municipality and residents participate equally.

The participation of 50% of residents as shareholders in the energy community translates into almost zero electricity bills. “We take advantage of our sun and our bills are almost zero,” says the mayor, adding that “this allows us to participate in various European programs because we serve as a model.” The photovoltaic park was built by the Public Power Corporation as part of a government initiative for green transition, with the support of the European Union and the participation of private companies. “Today, around 180 residents are participating in the energy community, while another 50 have expressed interest in joining, a dynamic that is growing as people see the benefits for themselves,” notes Mr. Fragakis.

From crisis to prosperity

The change is also noticeable to the residents themselves. Popi Lisgou, owner of a shop selling local and tourist products and a permanent resident of the island, emphasizes: “After the pandemic, tourism had dropped, as was to be expected, but becoming the first eco island helped a lot in promoting us internationally and tourism increased significantly.“ She adds: ”We pay, for example, €40 for electricity for the whole year. It’s very little. Being members of the energy community has helped us a lot. We have a good energy footprint because we believed in it and supported it.”

Daily life in Halki is characterized by quality of life. “We live off tourism, life is good in Halki, our income has increased in recent years, our children live well, go to school and have a nice everyday life,” explains Ms. Lisgou, adding: “We try to organize various activities. We could have more tourists outside the season, mainly in October and April, although we also have visitors then.”

Tourism development without a burden

What makes Halki special is that it has managed to maintain its human and sustainable character, even with intense tourist demand. The season is busy, the residents live well, public services function normally, and the environment is protected.

The next step for the island is to extend the tourist season, something the municipality is already pursuing through cultural events and partnerships. As the mayor notes, “Chalki has already signed, on the initiative of the Minister of Tourism, Ms. Olga Kefalogianni, a Memorandum of Cooperation for the development of tourism at all levels: infrastructure, sustainability, and sustainability, with the aim of evaluating the concept of ‘tourism for Halki’ in the context of destination management.”

And as the island prepares to welcome the next step in technology with the installation of fiber optics, everything indicates that Halki is not just a destination with a promising future in tourism. It is a place where development coexists with sustainability and residents are actively involved in their future.

Source:
money-tourism.gr