The Greek Island of Lesbos recently took a top European award. The island, which competed in the European Commission programme 'European Destinations of Excellence', took the award for the top sustainable tourism destination in Greece, beating eighteen other regions of the country. This year's competition was all about the best of tourism in protected areas. Criteria used to give this special award, were based on the destination which had established an economically viable tourism project whilst using a protected area as an asset. Respect for the environment is critical yet the needs of local residents and visitor also had to be met. The EDEN competition highlights the ways that tourism develops to ensure social, cultural and environmental balance. Europe remains the world's top destination for tourists, with the tourism sector directly accounting for 5.5% of the EU's GDP. There are more than two million businesses ion the market and employees of some nine million.
Mr Verheugen of the programme says, “The EDEN project is promoting destinations where commercial success goes hand in hand with social, cultural and environmental sustainability building on coordinated efforts involving regional entrepreneurs, businesses, employees and residents. By increasing the visibility of European tourist destinations through the awards and ongoing promotion activities, EDEN creates an awareness of Europe’s diversity and attracts tourists to interesting places of which they might not have heard."
