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| May 2004
- The 'reciprocity of tourism' in athletic events - the case of windsurfing
in Rhodes By Achilleas E. Tzimas, Rhodes Windsurfing Academy Achilles E. Tzimas has been involved in windsurfing for the past 20 years, as an athlete and as an instructor. He has been working on the widespread promotion of the sport as an additional tourist product, through Rhodes Windsurfing Academy (RWA) since 1992 and he has helped organize both national and international athletic windsurfing meetings on the island. As an athlete, he was part of the Greek athletic delegation from 1992 up to 2001 and ranked 3rd up to 7th position in the national championships and 14th up to 48th position in 1997 (worldwide ratings). Today he continues to promote the sport within the context of an overall tourist provision on Rhodes, by organizing training camps, providing facilities including a complete athletic installation on Ialisos beach. The classical model of Greek tourism, on which the island of Rhodes was built, has served Greek tourism loyally for many decades. However, it is becoming clear that there is a need to embellish the existing tourist industry so that it may acquire additional features, which will offer comparative advantages. This 'addition' to the existing tourist industry aims to focus on the creation of special substructures and infrastructures, the improvement of existing facilities and attempts to project the particular characteristics of diverse tourist areas. We have not taken full advantage of promotion of sports for tourists or the organization of athletic events, which apart from being a tourist attraction, brings considerable economic benefits to the area. The last two points, attraction and reciprocity of athletic events in the field of tourism, are the points I wish to develop in today's discussion, using windsurfing in Rhodes as an example. Recently, much has been said about the promotion of alternative forms of tourism, such as quality tourism and water tourism by utilizing special programmes which have been developed as a solution to the apparent lack of quality tourism we are witnessing today. These are points, which RWA singled out as early as 1992 in the form of suggestions and official reports, which were submitted to those who hold the reins of the development of athletic tourism in our country. We have already stated that islands such as Karpathos, Rhodes, Cos, Naxos, Paros, Mykonos and Vasiliki in Lefkada, are islands whose tourism depends to a certain extent on Windsurfing, and therefore have the potential to take full advantage of athletic water tourism. It is essential that we promote new forms of quality tourism, such as windsurfing, which has the added advantage of being already established and set up in Rhodes. It is the quickest, most inexpensive form of promotion for our islands and the Aegean in general. In many other tourist destinations throughout the world, where
the model of HOLIDAY AND SPORT has been adopted, charter flights
to these destinations carry windsurfs and bicycles on board free
of charge. This facility is provided in the Canary Islands, Egypt
and the Caribbean and can also be implemented in the Greek Islands. The promotion and advertising of these new forms of tourism should be included in special international publications and in specialist water-sport tourist exhibitions, such as Salon de Paris, London Boat Show, B.O.O.T Dusseldorf, Ispo Munich etc. The development of a country, which is hosting the Olympic games, particularly in the fields of Sport and Tourism, begins 4 years before and finishes 4 years later. Greece has already lost the first 4 years, let us not lose the next 4 years. In view of the June 2004 International Windsurfing Championship in Rhodes, we must stress that apart from being a great athletic event it is also a great promotional opportunity for our country. Pictures projecting the Greek element are being sent, via media coverage of the event, throughout the world. In the past, Professional Worldwide Championships (PWA) Funboard
'97 The International Formula Windsurfing Championship Grand Prix Race will focus the attention of all those who are interested in the sport and more. The promotion of the race may also be a chance for spectators of the events to take up the sport on one of the many surf spots on the island: - Ialisos: Ialisos in Trianta, is one of the best places on the island for Freestyle, Course and Slalom. The northwesterly wind creates Side Shore waves. The wind in the area is stable Side Shore and the sea has safe wave patterns ranging from small to large. - Prasonisi: When the wind blows in a north-westerly direction, windsurfing here is amazing. The sea is always rough with perfect wave formations for wave-riding fans. The Prasonisi cape has two beaches, one, which is perfect for wave riding and the other, which has a calm sea, and is ideal for free riding. - Faliraki: It might not be the ideal spot for windsurfing in summer but the conditions are completely different in winter. The southeasterly and southerly winds affect the sea creating onshore waves. The area is appropriate only in winter but can be enjoyed by windsurfers using their own equipment. There are no facilities for the hiring of equipment in winter. The importance of the organization of the race, together with the whole-hearted congratulations from the International Association reciprocates by lengthening the tourist season in a low-season period April - May, and helps to develop alternative, qualitative forms of tourism. This reciprocity is fundamental in promoting a form of tourism, which is enhanced with action and energy. Windsurfing can supply this. The reciprocity of windsurfing on Rhodes is already established and there are four distinguishing features.
Athletic-windsurf has open-handedly offered tremendous benefits to the island. The important athletic events which have been hosted on Ialisos beach by Rhodes Windsurfing Academy (RWA)have created one of the best, well-organized spots for fanatics of the sport. Moreover, official findings have shown that it is an excellent form of reciprocal tourism. It has been noted that a large number of tourists visit our island not only during athletic events but also at other periods, combining Windsurfing with Vacations. The International Formula Windsurf 2002 in Rhodes apart from being a great success was also an important athletic happening. It produced worldwide media coverage in the national and international press, establishing Rhodes and Windsurfing throughout the world. The International Association has acknowledged the potential and
experience that Rhodes has in organizing such meetings and has given
us 'the green light' to hold the The organization of this athletic event is also supported by bodies
who have shown their goodwill, by promising to contribute to the
realization of the 2004 races as they did in 2002. Among these are
the Ministry of the Aegean, the Periphery of South Aegean, the Ministry
of Tourism, the Municipality of Rhodes, the Municipality of Ialisos,
E.T.A, E.O.T (the Greek Organization of Tourism) and private sponsors. It should be noted that in a report from the President of the International
Association of Windsurfing (I.W.A) Ceri Williams he mentions the
successful organisation of the
I suggest that Rhodes become a point of attraction for Windsurf and Sailing athletes in general, and as a training area. Moreover, I propose that the events be held on Rhodes on an annual basis up to the year 2008. Finally, I propose that the appropriate authorities take action to achieve these aims. In support of Rhodes and Greece as the choice for other athletic events, we must consider the 'fruits' and the benefits gained in previous International Windsurfing Championships, which were held in our country. These events, which were supported by many other organizations, brought considerable benefits to our area, such as the increase of quality tourism and the international promotion of Ialisos and especially the Island of Rhodes with all that this entails. Naturally, these benefits were responsible for the strengthening and promotion of the international athletic spirit in Rhodes and our country in an arena (the sea), which is free. We do not need to build gigantic training centres to accommodate this athletic event. Most importantly, as an island we need this development which can be combined with windsurfing in general. A promotional tourist campaign combined with windsurfing could be: 'Take the first boat southwards the Dodecanese Islands. To a place where the Knights and fairytales meet the playful games of the windsurfer, cosmopolitan Rhodes. One of the hottest spots in the Greek and International windsurfing scene.' Clearly, research and evaluation of new forms of athletic tourism, which meet and compare with the benefits of Windsurfing, would be of great value. With the right programming and the combined effort of all, we can
present alternative forms of tourism within the framework of athletic
water tourism, which has immense The preservation and support of this institution now and in the
future will bring benefits not only to Rhodes and the Aegean but
also to our country in general. With athletic greetings Achilleas Tzimas |