PROFILE OF THE PILOT REGIONS SYVOTA AND PARGA, GREECE

Both Syvota and Parga are situated on the coastal line of Epirus, in the Prefecture of Thesprotia and Preveza. The coast is characterised by exceptional natural beauty with steep hills, covered in woods and washed by the blue-green waters of the Ionian Sea, creating many sandy beaches, small scenic bays and ports. Syvota lies 24 km south of Igoumenitsa, the main port and access point for visitors, opposite the island of Corfu while Parga is 50 km south of Igoumenitsa opposite the islands of Paxi and Antipaxi. Both places attract Greek and foreign tourists at increasing rates.

The climate in the area is pleasant, with mild winters and hot summers. During the winter there is enough rain to maintain rich vegetation with rare types of plants that give this region an outstanding natural beauty. The whole of Parga is a conservation area while the surrounding sea area is a candidate for inclusion in Natura 2000, a network of sea areas with exceptional under water life. In Syvota too, there are designated areas of outstanding natural beauty such as the two little islands of Agios Nikolaos and Mavro Oros opposite the port. The area is also pending designation by the Ministry of the Environment.

In the coastal parts of the Prefectures, inhabitants are mainly occupied in tourism and agricultural activities, usually interchanging these activities at different times of the year. Young people often give up the traditional agricultural activities to become fully occupied in tourism or they move to larger urban centres.

PHOTOS FROM PARGA AND SYVOTA

In addition to a number of buildings of architectural importance in the two settlements, there are several monuments of ancient, Byzantine and later times worth a visit in the surrounding area. The river Acheron offers possibilities for ecotourism including bird watching in its delta. Furthermore, footpaths take walkers out of Parga and into the surrounding hills. Visitors also have many opportunities to explore the rocky coast by small boats and visit the islands of Paxi and Antipaxi by boat, in frequently organised day-excursions. Swimming and water sports are pursued in many beautiful beaches such as Zeri, Gallikos Molos, Bella Vraka, Zavia, Mega Ammos, Pisina, Agia Paraskevi and other smaller ones.

The population of Syvota and Parga declined during the 1970s and 1980s, but increased more recently in the 1990s. Today, Syvota has a permanent population of 879 people and Parga of 4,000 people. In the summer and during the peak period, in particular, the population increases by four or five times. The carrying capacity of beaches is exceeded by far during the peak summer months and is a cause of great concern. The same applies to other amenities such as restaurants, rooms and parking places.