DRAWING AN INDICATOR OF TOURISM COMPETITIVENESS AND EXAMINING ITS RELATIONSHIP WITH TOURISM SEASONALITY FOR THE GREEK PREFECTURES

Thomas KRABOKOUKIS

Researcher, Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly, Pedion Areos, Volos, 38334, Greece

tkrabokoukis@uth.gr

Serafeim POLYZOS

Professor, Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly, Pedion Areos, Volos, 38334, Greece

spolyzos@uth.gr

Abstract

Within the context that tourism competitiveness is a complex concept, this article proposes a conceptual framework and uses Pena’s P2 distance synthetic index (DP2) to classify the Greek prefectures according to their competitiveness. This paper aims to define the potentials of Greek prefectures through the tourism competitiveness index. Additionally, examines the relationship between tourism competitiveness and tourism seasonality which is a significant phenomenon that affects tourism every destination globally. The study utilizes a total of 66 variables, and the data were processed using the Package ‘p2distance’ in R Studio. The analysis reveals four groups according to their values in the tourism competitiveness index (DP2) and tourism seasonality (RSI). In these four groups, tourism carrying capacity and tourism saturation indexes from previous studies are also presented in the last section. Overall, the analysis supports multidisciplinary and synthetic research in the modeling of tourism research and promotes the DP2 synthetic index in the study of tourism competitiveness. The overall analysis can propose a tool for tourism management and regional policy, as these are complex concepts. The proposed approach advances the DP2 index as a quantitative measure for tourism competitiveness and compares the results with tourism seasonality

Keywords: tourism competitiveness, tourism attractiveness, tourism seasonality, regional and tourism development, DP2 synthetic index

JEL classification: R10, R11, R58, C43, Z32

 pp. 55-70

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DETECTING CITY-DIPOLES IN GREECE BASED ON INTERCITY COMMUTING

Dimitrios TSIOTAS

Assistant Professor, Department of Regional and Economic Development, School of Applied Economic and Social Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Amfissa 33100, Greece

tsiotas@aua.gr

Nikolaos AXELIS

Airport Infrastructure Engineer, HAF, – Researcher, Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly, Volos, 38334, Greece

nik.axelis@gmail.com

Serafeim POLYZOS

Professor, Department of Planning and Regional Development, University of Thessaly, Volos, 38334, Greece

spolyzos@uth.gr

Abstract

According to growth poles theory, the areas lacking critical sizes to develop polycentric structures are restricted to the development of structures of special configuration. In Greece, the development of growth poles is restricted to the emergence of “urban dipoles” and “tripoles”, which are often used in the literature within a not well defined context. Based on a recently introduced method, this paper quantitatively detects functional dipoles in Greece by discriminating zones in the distribution of commuting, the number of daily movements for occupational purposes outside the city of residence. The analysis is implemented at three different levels of geographical scale, the intercity, an adjusted intercity (without the metropolitan regions), and the interregional scale. The analysis detects the functional dipoles per geographical scale and reveals the distance levels where polycentric structures emerge in the setting of commuting in Greece. Overall, this examines the applicability of a new dipoles detection method and paper provides insights into the conceptualization of hierarchy in urban structures, into the context of regional science and regional economics.

Keywords: Growth poles, urban structures, city networks, urban hierarchy, city distribution

JEL classification: R12, R40, R58

pp. 11-30

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THE CONTRIBUTION OF COHESION POLICY TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONVERGENCE OF THE REGIONS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION

Panagiotis KOUDOUMAKIS

Dr. Civil Engineer

Democritus University of Thrace (DUTh), Department of Civil Engineering, Greece

pkoudoum@civil.duth.gr

George BOTZORIS

Associate Professor, Democritus University of Thrace (DUTh), Department of Civil Engineering, Greece

gbotzori@civil.duth.gr

Angelos PROTOPAPAS

Professor, Democritus University of Thrace (DUTh), Department of Civil Engineering, Greece

aproto@civil.duth.gr

Abstract

The Cohesion Policy’s (CP) contribution to the development and convergence of EU regions is examined by utilizing the most complete historical data about CP payments regionally. Through the implementation of the neoclassical econometric model, the positive contribution, with a room of improvement, of CP to development and convergence of EU regions is substantiated. Moreover, the contribution of the secondary sector is emerging as the most critical. It is argued that the provision of reliable data of the implementation of CP contributes decisively towards reducing the complexity and heterogeneity of results. Also increases their potential to be utilized in assessment and design programs.

Keywords: Cohesion Policy of the European Union, Regional development and convergence, Econometric model, Data reliability and representativeness, Secondary sector

JEL classification: R11, R58, R15

 pp. 277-290

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