Tourist destinations are not only beautiful landscapes and idyllic beaches. They are, above all, places that must be able to welcome all people. Because tourism has no restrictions or boundaries.
With this philosophy, Skiathos is taking another step towards more inclusive tourism, developing a program that aims to make the island friendly for people on the autism spectrum.
As the mayor of Skiathos, Thodoris Tzoumas, states to the Athens and Macedonian News Agency, this initiative is part of the Municipality’s overall strategy for accessibility.
“We have given great priority to issues of inclusion and accessibility. We must adapt to the needs of these people and not they to ours,” he emphasizes.
Skiathos had already been presented as an example of good practice at an international conference of the World Tourism Organization on accessibility and is now going a step further.
Since 2024, a pilot collaboration has been launched with the organization “Open Horizons”, whose president is psychologist Maria Iliopoulou. The organization is active in the integration of people on the autism spectrum into the labor market, connecting businesses with people who can work in appropriately designed conditions.
“The autism spectrum is very wide and many people are perfectly functional. They can respond to many tasks, as long as the environment is properly organized and there is information,” points out the mayor.
As part of the initiative, training is being carried out for employees in businesses and public services, so that they can learn how to recognize and manage situations involving people on the autism spectrum.
These actions mainly concern employees who are in positions of first contact with visitors, such as in hotels, restaurants, banks, supermarkets, but also in services such as the airport, the port authority, the police and the municipal police.
As the mayor of Skiathos points out, the program is expected to have completed its basic preparation cycle by May, and will then continue.
“Training is not something that stops. People in businesses change, so we will continue training in the coming years, so that the program lasts,” he notes.
At the same time, a digital map-guide and an application for visitors are being developed, which will record, among other things, places and points in Skiathos that are friendly to people on the autism spectrum.
“There will be suggestions for quiet beaches, restaurants with less noise, small hotels, as well as walking routes in quieter parts of the island, so that a visitor with autism or his family knows where and at what times, he can move more comfortably,” explains Mr. Tzoumas.
As he notes, autism is often an “invisible disability”, which makes informing society even more important.
“This is not something that requires large infrastructures. It mainly requires knowledge, information and sensitivity”, he emphasizes.
Historical record for Skiathos – The start of the tourist season earlier than ever
At the same time, Skiathos is also recording a historical record in the start of the tourist season, as the first flight of the season is expected as early as March 29 from Bristol, earlier than any other year. This is the earliest start of the tourist season recorded on the island.
As the mayor of Skiathos told the Athenian and Macedonian News Agency, this development is the result of the Municipality’s strategy to extend the tourist season, an effort that is also supported by Municipality resources.
“For many years, the season started in early May and ended towards the end of September. Our goal was to open earlier and last longer, which is now starting to happen,” he notes.
A total of approximately 2,800 flights are planned for 2026, connecting the island with 17 countries, while the last flight of the season is expected on October 27.
At the same time, new markets are being added to the flight schedule. An indicative example is Munich, which will be connected directly to Skiathos for the first time from mid-May to the end of October.
“We are now seeing that local businesses are also responding.
Hotels and restaurants are opening earlier and closing later, which shows that the extension of the season is starting to pay off,” underlines Mr. Tzoumas.
Source: ertnews.gr