This is Athens sets the tone for an authentic destination experience, utilising the power of locals to share their stories about the city. At the forefront of the DMO's goals is unveiling hidden gems and encouraging personal exploration, to ultimately help combat overtourism around the Acropolis. This is achieved by putting a spotlight on the often-overlooked areas of the city and promoting growth in those places. This is the promise of "Athens. The city is the museum," a revolutionary campaign that redefines the tourist experience by highlighting the entire city as a heritage attraction that deserves exploration. Visitors are encouraged to be more open-minded when planning their trip to Athens and be amazed by the full extent of the city's offerings. Recognised for its innovative potential, the campaign was a worthy runner-up in the Partnership Award category at the 2023 X. Awards.

Shifting the Focus

Traditionally, Athens has been synonymous with the Acropolis and Parthenon, attracting visitors seeking ancient wonders. However 'Athens. The city is the museum' seeks to broaden this perspective, showcasing the city's vibrant contemporary culture and diverse neighbourhoods. Through a strategic partnership between the Greek Ministry of Tourism, This is Athens and Google Greece, the campaign leverages technology to curate immersive audio walks. Partnering with a big brand, such as Google, is key for increasing the visibility of the experiential offer, while the tech giant also provides assistance to ensure the seamless integration of Google Maps within each audio walking tour.

At the heart of This is Athens' strategy lies a commitment to highlighting local voices. Athenians curate the city's narrative, not as passive guides but as passionate storytellers, sharing their lived experiences and intimate knowledge of the city's lesser-known locations. This collaborative approach breaks down barriers between tourists and locals, fostering genuine connections and cultural exchange. Visitors become more than spectators; cooking with a Yia Yia, learning pottery in a hidden workshop or sipping cocktails on a rooftop bar with locals – these aren't tourist traps; they're opportunities for cultural exchange, where visitors become active participants in the city's vibrant tapestry. This shift from passive observation to immersive engagement is the driving force behind 'Athens. The city is the museum', which redefines tourism by empowering locals, breaking down barriers and creating a truly transformative visitor experience.

The campaign's three-minute promotional film captures the raw, unfiltered vibe of Athens, which not only reimagines the way travellers engage with the city but also reshapes our understanding of what a museum can be. Instead of static objects on display in a confined space, the city itself becomes a venue of everyday life; with exhibits as a living, breathing museum.

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Technology as a Catalyst

'Athens. The city is the museum' blends storytelling with user-friendly navigation. Athenians share their city through personalised audio walks accessible on a mobile-optimised website, which uses the Google Directions API to weave a GPS-guided mosaic of local stories. Each stop is a numbered pin on the map, guiding visitors at their own pace through vibrant neighbourhoods, bustling nightlife and diverse culinary experiences.

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This creative approach not only extends Athens' appeal beyond peak season but also invites visitors to connect with its dynamic culture on a deeper, more personal level, transforming tourism from sightseeing into participatory storytelling.

Seeking Inspiration Elsewhere

This is Athens's goal isn't for a temporary fix, it's a blueprint for sustainable tourism. By highlighting diverse neighbourhoods and experiences beyond the typical tourist trail, the strategy aims to alleviate pressure on popular sites and spread tourism's economic benefits to local communities. Extending the city's appeal beyond the summer months, it diversifies visitor demographics and encourages year-round travel, ensuring a more balanced and sustainable tourism model. Athens's efforts haven't gone unnoticed, in March 2022 after a year-long sustainability review they were awarded excellent status with an 86% score by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). The process monitored over 111 visits in all areas of interest from neighbourhoods and parks, institutions and city services, to museums and archaeological sites.

This approach aligns perfectly with the travel app, Ecohopper another champion of local voices and hidden gems. Based in Germany, this startup app curates tips and recommendations from locals, mirroring the Athenian audio-guided walks, with both projects encouraging exploration beyond tourist hotspots.

Athens is not alone in promoting sustainable tourism. There are several other great examples within the industry:

1. Visit Norway: Guided by its National Tourism Strategy 2030, one of Visit Norway's main targets to reduce overtourism is focussing on quality over quantity, by prioritising visitors who spend more, in order to sustain good levels of economic growth in local communities throughout the country.
2. Azores Regional Government: GSTC and EarthCheck certifications have been undertaken to monitor the sustainability of the archipelago, with the DMO prioritising the measurement of 12 KPIs focused on a combination of environmental, social and economic indicators.
3. Visit Faroe Islands Closed for Maintenance: This initiative is implemented to address the issues of overcrowding. It is a yearly initiative where visitors can volunteer and be selected to participate in preserving the Faroe Islands' natural beauty.  

Similarly, this wasn't the first initiative of This is Athens to promote sustainable tourism. In 2022, they collaborated on the 'How to Athens' campaign, which was also aimed at encouraging visitors to go beyond mainstream hotspots and focus on upcoming neighbourhoods in the city.

Results

The 'Athens. The city is the museum' campaign has demonstrably impacted Athens' development as a responsible tourism destination, potentially contributing to a more balanced visitor distribution across the city and easing congestion at popular sites. The campaign's online reach exceeded 12 million impressions, with the campaign's promotion supported by AEGEAN Airlines and Athens International Airport, effectively showcasing the city's diverse offerings beyond its iconic landmarks. This translated to a significant 63% increase in visitors during off-peak months, suggesting the campaign's aim of extending the tourist season has succeeded in achieving its ambitions. The campaign's momentum is evident with the development of additional immersive audio tours, promising to further enhance the visitor experience.