PortEconomics members George Vaggelas and Thanos Pallis presented their latest study, “Proposals for the Development of a Network of Tourist Ports in Greece“ during a special event organised by the Greek Marinas Association in Athens, Greece.
Despite its extensive coastline, Greece lags in the number of organised tourist ports and marinas. Berthing capacity for yachts is less than the average availability in other European countries, with demand exceeding supply in several areas. A spatial discontinuity in the tourist port infrastructure also exists. As a result, Greece faces increased competition from neighbouring countries as regards the berthing of yachts. At the same time, yachting, and not least, tourist ports represent a significant source of income for the local, regional, and national economy.
The study sets the priorities for developing an integrated network of tourist ports in Greece based on two key criteria: the existing berthing capacity and the need to secure geographical coverage. In particular, it records, maps, and critically analyses the existing network of tourist ports in Greece. It then evaluates several criteria regarding their applicability for selecting locations for developing tourist ports and recreational boat marinas.
Based on these, it details an assessment framework and measures the attractiveness of 191 potential areas for marina development in Greece. Evaluating the attractiveness of these areas for future marina locations provides policy-makers, marinas and services providers, and stakeholders with the ability to adapt to various conditions (i.e., providing the essential framework conditions). The findings serve as input for policy formulation at the local, regional, and national levels, ensuring that marina locations are determined based on objective rather than highly subjective criteria.
The study was commissioned by the Greek Marinas Association (E.M.A.E.) with the support of the Ministry of Tourism. It builds on previous studies by PortEconomcis members Thanos Pallis and George Vaggelas for the think tank DiaNeosis.
You might download the presentation of the study (in Greek) here: Vaggelas G.K. and Pallis T.A. (2025). Proposal for the Development of a Network of Tourist Ports in Greece. A study for the Greek Marinas Association. March 2025, Athens: ΔιαΝΕΟσις2025-EMAE study-31Mar.
