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European Journal of Applied Sciences – Vol. 10, No. 3
Publication Date: June 25, 2022
DOI:10.14738/aivp.103.12427. Economou, A. (2022). The Contribution of Rivers to the Development of Circular Tourism Case Study: The Acheron River in Greece.
European Journal of Applied Sciences, 10(3). 572-585.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
The Contribution of Rivers to the Development of Circular
Tourism Case Study: The Acheron River in Greece
Agisilaos Economou
PhD National Technical University of Athens, Environmentalist
ABSTRACT
The present paper investigates the contribution of a river to the development of
circular tourism in a place and specifically, a region. According to historical data, it
has been proven that human societies tended to look for areas with rich natural
resources to develop. These areas were traditionally selected because of the
sustainability of these resources. Especially those areas that are located near rivers
also had the advantages of moving people and products, fishing and the availability
of water. The following text highlights the possibilities that exist for the utilization
of riparian sites for the circular tourist development. The Acheron River in the
Region of Epirus in Greece is selected as a case study. To serve the purpose, a
questionnaire was constructed which was addressed to 352 visitors / tourists in the
research area. The work concludes with conclusions and proposals regarding the
development of circular tourism in this area.
Keywords: Circular tourism; Sustainable Development; Acheron River; Greece.
INTRODUCTION
When studying the development dynamics of a place, in order to develop the appropriate
strategies and actions for its development, all the elements that can be used to contribute to its
final development should be explored. Each place has its own characteristics and therefore
should be treated as a separate case. At the same time, each region is a complex of subsets, each
with its own particular characteristics, that in combination with each other can contribute to
the development of the whole area.
The area itself and its authorities should be able to identify the special natural and man-made
resources at its disposal, so that it can connect them with each other and use them for its overall
development goal. An example of a natural resource that should be taken into account is the
existence of water and especially rivers, give a place many advantages [1].
Water has always been a criterion for the choice of human settlement in a place. This applies
either to drinking water sources or to surface waters such as seas, lakes and rivers. These places
provided the needs for drinking water, for the support of agricultural cultivation, fishing and
other [2].
Seas and rivers had an added advantage, the sea routes, but also the river routes, which
provided human societies with safe and easy routes for movement, trade, exchange of products,
but also communication between people, peoples and cultures, which contributed greatly to
the economic, social and cultural development of coastal and riparian areas. It is no coincidence
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Economou, A. (2022). The Contribution of Rivers to the Development of Circular Tourism Case Study: The Acheron River in Greece. European Journal
of Applied Sciences, 10(3). 572-585.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/aivp.103.12427
that around the shores of the Mediterranean flourished some of the greatest civilizations in
history such as the Ancient Greek, the Egyptian, the Roman and many more. Also, very
important cities all around the world were developed in the coastal and riparian areas. In these
cultures, from antiquity until today, water plays a very important role. It is reflected in
mythology, philosophy, religion, in the customs and traditions of the peoples. Sometimes it is
praised as a deity and sometimes it is considered a source of life and energy, which gives
strength and good health [3].
METHODOLOGY
The survey initially refers to the importance of rivers in the sustainable local development of
the area. Then, it focuses on the environmental value of rivers, their contribution to society,
culture, and the economy as well as the pollution that receives from human activities. It refers
to the Acheron River as a case study, due to its remarkable historical, mythological, and
environmental value. Thus, it focuses on the natural environment of the Acheron river, the
economic and tourist activities of the area, the weaknesses, and the possibilities of the area for
its development. A survey in situ (through a questionnaire to the visitors/tourists of the area
about the possibility of developing circular tourism) and geographic data have been used to
carry out this survey.
The contribution of rivers to development
According to the official scientific literature [4], rivers are large natural watercourses that are
constantly fed and include large and small rivers, permanent streams and streams of periodic
flow. River waters are a source of inorganic and organic elements and play an important role
for the earth's surface, as they are considered collectors of water that lead to the sea or a lake.
As stated above, rivers have been used in many different ways by humans and because of their
usefulness, the areas around them have historically been a magnet for human settlement.
In addition, the rivers themselves contributed to the emergence of human settlements.
Throughout history, many cities have been established around or near rivers and especially in
areas where two rivers met. This mainly happened when favorable climatic conditions
prevailed for the development of agricultural activity and trade.
One typical example is Babylon, which was built on the banks of the Euphrates river in
Mesopotamia, the cities of Thebes, Memphis, Kahun, and El-Amarna on the banks of the Nile,
Harappa on the bank of the Ravi, which is a tributary of the Indus. The above cities were centers
of very important civilizations that developed in these areas and the factor of the existence of a
large river played a decisive role in it[5].
Later, during the Middle Ages, rivers functioned as an entry route for explorers, traders and
conquerors. In many cases the rivers were used as "defensive forts", as the cities that were built
on their bends, were protected on three sides and fortified or strengthened militarily only on
the fourth side. At the same time, in Europe, river water began to be used for energy production.
In addition, many important cities began to develop along rivers, such as Vienna, Budapest and
other [6].
More recently, during the Industrial Revolution, rivers were also used for energy production,
as the power of the river flow powered the first mills, huge looms and heavy machinery of the
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European Journal of Applied Sciences (EJAS) Vol. 10, Issue 3, June-2022
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
industries. This was one of the reasons why many industries developed in riparian areas,
contributing to their development, as they attracted workers and consequently permanent
residents [7]. In this way, many large cities worldwide were enlarged and developed. The
factories operated mills that were powered by rivers and provided the energy they needed to
operate. Typical examples are found in the Thames in England, Mississippi in the United States,
and more. At the same time, the rivers themselves were used as routes for the transportation
of products produced by industries.
Today, rivers remain important as they continue to be used as transport routes for people and
goods, providing drinking water and fishery products, and providing irrigation to agricultural
land. They are also used to generate electricity through hydroelectric plants. At the same time,
several of the most important cities in the modern world are built along rivers such as London,
Paris, Amsterdam and other [8].
Finaly, in recent decades, efforts have been intensified to promote a sustainable model of
tourism development. According to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), the development
of sustainable tourism must meet the needs of current tourists and residents of the areas that
host them and at the same time protect and enhance future opportunities for tourism
development. This development leads to the management of resources in such a way that it is
possible to meet the economic, social and aesthetic needs, while maintaining cultural integrity,
essential ecological processes, biodiversity and life support systems in tourism places.
Circular tourism is proposed as a solution. Circular tourism includes all tourism services which
are distinguished according to the special needs, preferences and motivations of tourists, are
addressed to a specialized people, adhere to the principles of sustainable development and help
to alleviate the seasonality of tourism demand [9].
The contribution of rivers to the sustainable development of places
The concept of sustainable development refers to a form of development policy that seeks to
meet the economic, social and environmental needs of society in such a way as to ensure short- term and long-term prosperity. A basic principle of sustainable development is that
development must meet the needs of today's generations, without endangering the well-being
of future generations. In practice, this means creating the conditions for long-term economic
growth while ensuring environmental protection [10].
In this context, the principles of sustainability underline the value of the protection of natural
spaces, as their environmental, social, cultural and economic contribution to the goal of
development has been recognized. Thus, at international, European and local level, there is an
ever-increasing interest in taking measures for the sustainable management of these spaces.
Given that rivers and riparian areas are important natural areas, it was accepted that the
existence of a river can be a magnet for sustainable development of a place, as it offers
environmental, social, cultural and economic benefits to the place [1].
Their contribution to the environment
The river is a natural element that enriches the natural environment of a place. As it is typically
called, it is the "blue corridor" that creates "blue networks". Blue network means all the water
elements that are connected to each other by water corridors. These corridors are streams and