Creative Commons

This assignment introduces the reader to the mean of sustainable development and shows the importance of implementing sustainable strategies in tourism, through an extended literature review. More focus is given to the area of Thessaloniki, Greece. By an online survey through questionnaires answered by people around the world, an effort is made to quantify, as well as to qualify at some point, the willingness to pay of potential visitors in Greece, and specifically for a new Green Hostel. The results coming out of this survey provide interesting information as different answers comes based on the nationality (for example the Greeks are less likely to stay in a hostel, than other foreign people). On the contrast of this, it is observed that people though consider themselves being environmentally and socially sensitive, there are not willing at the same level to make an effort for acting more sustainably, especially while being in vacations. A Green Hostel should first of all provide excellent services and then promote sustainability principles and actions. Based on the results of the survey, a business plan is developed in order to make a clear profile of a potential Green Hostel in Greece, and determine the characteristics that will drive this to success, in respect to the environmental and social dimension.