The Impact of Maritime Tourism on the Greek Economy via the Tourism Satellite Account

Abstract

Abstract Maritime tourism is a special interest tourism, showing significant demand increase worldwide. The activities of cruising, yachting and coastal tourism shipping constitute the Greek market of maritime tourism.  The aim of this paper is to estimate the economic impact of the maritime tourism industry on the major macroeconomic factors of the Greek economy.  The Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) has been applied by several countries to estimate the economic impacts of the traditionally designated tourism related industries, as well as all industries participating in the tourist economy (Strathclyde University,2004), but not for the economic effects of special interest tourism, as maritime tourism. Up until today there has not been any application of the method in Greece neither for the total tourism industry, nor for a specific tourism “sector”. The investigation of the theoretical and empirical frames of maritime tourism in Greece as well as the adaptation of Tourism Satellite Account tables, are a preconditioned fulfilment of the research. Since the TSA tables require information with economic value, which is not found in the recorded data by many public services, primary research has been conducted in order to collect necessary data. The data obstacle became higher since maritime tourism is not an immiscible activity but a combination of other sectors that's why the overall estimation and evaluation of the sector demands data from different but related sources.  The paper concludes by presenting the final results of the economic impacts of maritime tourism on the major macroeconomic values of the Greek economy.