The purpose of this paper is to uncover the importance of the combination of the global promotion of the image of the Alonnisos National Marine Park through place marketing procedures. The main source used is a research program carried out by the Laboratory of Tourism Planning, Research and Policy from the Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly. The goals of the program are the incorporation of the park into an international network of tourism promotion aimed at the strengthening and specialization of tourist attractions, as well as the development of the politics of dialogue between the relevant organisations and the local population.

The designation and management of protected areas (PAs) is a challenging task significantly influenced by numerous parameters, both economic and social. In this paper, these issues are explored by means of an empirical survey in a PA of international importance in Greece: the National Park of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (NPEMT). In particular, the survey explored the knowledge and perceptions of different interest groups concerning environmental issues in general, awareness of the restrictions imposed by the current management framework, benefits connected with the designation of the PA and willingness of individuals to pay for protection of the NPEMT. These interest groups were created depending on their level and type of involvement with PA issues. The results revealed a low level of awareness, indicating that further efforts should be conducted, both by the state and non-governmental organisations, to inform the local community and visitors about the existence of the PA and also the social and economic benefits resulting from its creation. Furthermore, the level of knowledge and perceptions of individuals about the NPEMT varies according to the social groups examined. Finally, individuals are willing to pay €94.08 annually for protection of the park, although there was a high percentage of protest responses.

The carrying capacity of places during periods with ever-increasing numbers of visitors represents an aspect that in recent years has become an indicator to evaluate sustainable development. Areas, where the inhabitants now refuse to receive extremely large number of tourists have been transformed due to over-capacity of the places into touristic villages, where the cultural environment is degraded, the natural resources are wasted and tourist satisfaction is frustrated or becomes an established stereotype. The tourist model of opulence and luxury imposes a wide use of accommodations with specific design characteristics. The built space which is connected to the material heritage of the place, is one of the most important aspects to contribute to the construction of the cultural experience and the authenticity of this experience. Under this point of view, built space is the most vulnerable part in this procedure, and many critical reviews have been verbalized, concerning its ability to retain its authentic local characteristics during a tourist development procedure. In Greece where the landscape is so rich in history, cultural continuity has become a dynamic emblem for cultural tourism development, which was incorporated in the state’s economic policies, shyly during the pre-war period and as a national goal during the post war period. This paper focuses on the study of cases based on practices used in Greece during the past decades and that could contribute with new perspectives in the improvement of the tourist cultural experience. The study refers to the attempt of GNTO (Greek National Tourism Organization) in 1975-1992 at using traditional Greek settlements, as a vital part of residential areas, which were meant to play a significant role in the touristic exploitation and the economic development of the country. Since 1975 the pilot application of the programme and the experienced results were drastically differentiated in settlements such as Oia on the island of Santorini where the carrying capacity of the settlement is exceeded and Mesta in Chios island where new practices provided support to the island’s culture and nature. The research methodology is based on a critical comparison of the tourism development procedure and development in the two settlements, pointing out the similarities and the differences concerning their built environment evolution and carrying capacity.

Creativity has a significant impact on the perception of the landscape, and hence, on the sensory perception of a place. In this paper, the expressions of creativity, sensory landscape, place marketing and place branding in the Regional Unit of Magnesia in Greece are all analysed, in order to identify the unique sensory landscapes that derive from the interaction between the landscape and the creative characteristics/activities that exist/occur in the region. The research was conducted in the settlements of the old village of Alonissos Island, Agios Lavrentios and Anavra, and the urban centre of Volos. The aim of this paper is to investigate how creative activities can contribute to the sensory perception of a landscape and how the interaction, between sensory landscapes and creative activities can be used advantageously in the promotion of a place's identity. The research focuses on three senses: vision, hearing and smell. The methodology used during the field research differs between the settlements and the urban centre of Volos, incorporates the relevant literature and combines observational analysis and semi-structured/narrative interviews from the selected landscapes, as well as questionnaires and sensory walks in Volos.