Department D: Transport and Tourism
Head of Department: E. Bekiaris
Deputy: M. Morfoulaki
Research & Scientific Staff: E. Bekiaris, M. Morfoulaki, M. Papandreou, M. Loukea, V. Mizaras, G. Mirovali, S. Kyzalas, V. Athenas-Vassiliadis.
This sector deals with issues related to the combined Transport and Tourism services chain, the development of intelligent algorithms and personalized services for its support and its advancement through innovative Strategic and Business plans.
Indicatively, this Sector works on:
- Analysis of offer and demand of touristic services of all types and their relation to the multimodal transportation chains that service them.
- Development of intelligent algorithms and personalized touristic services for the extension of the touristic season as well as the development of novel added value touristic services.
- Development of tools and systems for the emergence and support of touristic services for special groups, such as accessible, medical, ecological, cultural and agro tourism.
- Development of new best practice business models for touristic services, their pilot application and transfer to the local ecosystem.
- Close coordination between touristic services and their actors to the transportation services that support them.
- Development of alternative and complementary ways and systems of transport to support touristic needs and the reduction of negative ecological impact of transport to the touristic sector; with emphasis on cruises and water airports.
- Development of solutions and systems for the better connection of (existing or emerging) touristic destination among them and with the mainland, with emphasis on the management of subsidized lines and appropriate policies for their pricing.
Laboratory D1: Intelligent and personalised algorithms for combined transport and tourism services
Responsible: M. Papandreou
This lab analyses the offer and demand for transportation services by touristic destinations and tries to optimise their relation through:
- Development of integrated multimodal transportation services from/to touristic destinations and within them, to minimize their environmental footprint, enhance their safety and traveler’s comfort.
- Development of intelligent algorithms, applications and services for personalized touristic services of high added value.
- Application of eco-friendly and modern transportation means (electric vehicles, hydrogen vehicles, Mobility as a Service concepts, etc.) at touristic destinations, with emphasis on islands and remote areas.
Laboratory D2: Technologies and Tools for Touristic Development
Responsible: G. Myrovali
Lab D2 focuses on research aiming to effectively promote new tourism products and support the development of individual forms of tourism. With a focus on Tourism Development techniques and tools, the laboratory focuses on Sustainable Tourism.
Indicative areas of interest for Lab D2 are:
- Exploring and evaluating methods, tools and techniques for the promotion of touristic packages and services
- Exploiting opportunities arisen over the use of new technologies and social media for achieving tourists’ behaviour change towards responsible attitudes and towards sustainable tourism.
- Development of innovative tools for tourists' data collection and analysis in order to map their needs and identify interventions and policies for supporting Touristic Development
- Testing tools and techniques in real touristic areas
- Close cooperation with other Sectors & Laboratories of the Institute in order to develop research results for upgrading the integrated Tourism & Transport ecosystem.
Laboratory D3: Touristic services for special groups
Responsible: S. Loukea
The laboratory focuses upon special solutions and applications for the support of touristic services for special groups through:
- Knowledge transfer actions of best practices for the elongation of the touristic season through special groups tourism.
- Development of specific applications for assessment and support of accessibility and inclusiveness of touristic infrastructure and services (as well as the transportation means that support them) for all travelers, with emphasis on special groups of travelers, such as people with disabilities, travelers with reduced mobility, the elderly, patients, etc.
- Development of models and services to apply optimally touristic services for special groups.
Laboratory D4: Business models for touristic services
Responsible: V. Mizaras
This lab, applies, assesses and develops business models for touristic services, in order to maximize the touristic flows, reduce their negative impacts to local communities and biodiversity and enhance the gain achieved per tourist, through:
- Benchmarking of best practices of relevant existing and emerging models at international scale.
- Application of cost benefit and cost effectiveness methods in existing and emerging touristic services.
- Development, pilot application and assessment of new business models for touristic services.
