In the recent past, sustainable development has been considered a major issue for urban and regional studies. Adaptive reuse appears to be a practical solution for sustainable urban development. Beyond and in addition to a conceptual base consistent with circular economy and sustainability principles, how do we know if adaptive reuse is actually sustainable, provided that it constitutes a multidisciplinary and multilevel process? The present study aims at evaluating, in as much as feasible quantitative terms, adaptive reuse practices sustainability. This was attained using a set of indicators, developed combining PESTLE (the Political, Economic, Technical, Social, Legal, and Environmental aspects) and SWOT (the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) approaches, of which the results were subjected to evaluation by experts (pairwise comparisons), following the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The indicators representing strengths and opportunities of the process were calculated to be of higher value (overall level of final cumulative indicators values; 70.4%) compared with indicators representing weaknesses and threats. Enhancing strengths and opportunities and counteracting weaknesses and threats contribute making the potential of adaptive reuse practices in urban sustainability more evident. Among analysis dimensions, political and economic aspects rank first, followed by environmental, socio-cultural, technological-technical, and legal aspect. The empirical results of this paper serve as a useful reference point for decision-making and policy formulation addressing adaptive reuse practices in sustainable development strategies.

The paper analyses two issues that have characterised tourism development in Greek insular and coastal areas in the period 1970–2000. The first issue concerns the socioeconomic and cultural changes that have taken place in these areas and led to rapid – and usually unplanned – tourism development. The second issue consists of the policies for tourism and tourism development at local, regional and national level. The analysis focuses on the role of the family, social mobility issues, the social role of specific groups, and consequences for the manners, customs and traditions of the local population. It also examines the views and reactions of local communities regarding tourism and tourists. There is consideration of the new productive structures in these areas, including the downgrading of agriculture, the dependence of many economic sectors on tourism, and the large increase in multi-activity and the black economy. Another focus is on the characteristics of mass tourism, and on the related problems and criticisms of current tourism policies. These issues contributed to a model of tourism development that integrates the productive, environmental and cultural characteristics of each region. Finally, the procedures and problems encountered in sustainable development programmes aiming at protecting the environment are considered.

Since the summer of 2015, many islands in the Aegean received an unprecedented wave of refugees and migrants, which created a series of immediate, short term and long term social, humanitarian and economic issues (UNHCR. (2015). The sea route to Europe: Mediterranean passage in the age of refugees. Retrieved from https://goo.gl/8URK97). This paper aims to study and analyse the effects of refugees’ inflows and the implications of the volunteers’ presence on the islands of Chios and Lesvos (Greece) through a primary research, as well as the reactions of the stakeholders involved. A primary qualitative research with the use of semi-structured interviews has been conducted between October 2016 and March 2017. The sample of the research was selected by random sampling and it involved 122 participants who were separated in two groups: a) representatives of state bodies and local authorities as well as local entrepreneurs and b) independent volunteers and members of Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO). The main findings of the primary research showed a negative attitude of the local stakeholders as to the effects of the refugees’ inflows on the economic and social life of both islands and, therefore, on tourism. The research recorded a positive attitude towards the islands and their local societies on behalf of the volunteers and NGO members, as well as their intention to revisit the islands in the future as tourists.

The present manuscript describes a case study on the viewpoints of tourism stakeholders on the effect of waste management on a destination′s image. In particular, the study aims to analyze the problems that arose during the summer of 2018 in the touristic image of Corfu because of the waste management on the island. The qualitative method approach through interviews was used to collect the primary data of the survey; online sources were used to collect data to review similar cases. All the stakeholders agree that waste management during the summer of 2018 negatively affected the image of Corfu as a touristic destination. Moreover, based on the interviews′ findings, there is a lack of political will, infrastructure, and information provision from the local authorities on the island of Corfu. Interviews also indicated that an integrated solution to the problem of waste management on the island is the implementation of source separation in households and tourism-related firms with the support of the local authorities. The contribution of this paper is towards identifying the effect that waste management has on the image of a tourist destination. It is the first of its kind conducted in Greece and among the few reported in the literature focusing on the viewpoints of service providers.

This study, conducted as part of the ‘RETOU’ research project, aims to provide a holistic understanding of adaptive reuse in the context of transforming heritage buildings into creative tourist accommodation units. To achieve the objective set for the current research, the methodology involved an in-depth exploration of the conceptual and theoretical evidence within the scholarly literature, followed by a SOAR analysis. The results have identified current strengths, and opportunities, as well as future aspirations and results specifically associated with adaptive reuse initiatives leading to tourist lodgings. The findings of this research endeavor contribute to the expanding body of literature on the adaptive reuse phenomenon. They provide valuable insights into the prevalent notion and understanding, particularly in the context of a tourist-centric urban destination. Furthermore, this research lays a solid foundation for sustainable policy measures planning, and practical implementation strategies development towards a circular economy transitioning action plan, well-serving objectives promoted by the agenda for sustainable urban development.