logical and byzantine studies departments of var-
ious universities.
Finally, religious tourism may be combined with
other special forms of tourism (cruises, whose
schedule might include visits to monasteries or
churches, along with the promotion of local prod-
ucts or delicacies) in order to maximize the rele-
vant benefits.
d. Sports tourism
This special form of tourism includes every
sportive activity carried out during, and at the
place of, vacation.
It is estimated that, each year, more than 200 mil-
lion tourists worldwide would like to combine their
vacation with some type of sport, such as soccer,
basketball, golf, tennis, horse-riding, moun-
taineering, hitching, cycling, rowing, skiing, wind-
surfing, mountain-biking, kite-surfing, yachting,
climbing, rafting, diving etc.
Greece, thanks to the large variety of its natural-
geographical features (mountain, sea, snow,
wind, rivers etc.), is suitable for dynamically
developing recreational sports tourism, a prof-
itable niche market that, if fully utilized, can
ensure the extension of the tourist season and
attract qualitatively desirable tourists.
It is estimated that today the main motive of at least
10% of the tourists who visit Greece each year is to
engage in some type of recreational sport, while the
potential market is substantially larger, a fact that
the sector’s professionals seem to realize.
Organized tours are recently enriched with
sportive activities, while a growing number of
Trade with Greece
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