The procedure for granting the Local Quality Label of the Psiloritis Geopark is as follows:
Expression of interest from the stakeholder for the acquisition of the Label towards the Psiloritis UNESCO Global Geopark at info@psiloritisgeopark.gr
To check all the Psiloritis Geopark Partners please follow this link.
Approval of the application
The signing of an Agreement between the stakeholder and the managing body of the Geopark, the Network of Municipalities of Psiloritis “Ideon Network”
Granting of the Local Quality Label
You can also see the affiliated businesses of the Psiloritis Geopark here, either in a view on the map or according to the thematic of their activity.
Psiloritis Geopark was founded in 2001 as a local Natural Park by the developmental organization AKOMM – PSILORITIS DEVELOPMENT AGENCY S.A, ORGANIZATION OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT with the scientific support of the Natural History Museum of the University of Crete.
Due to its rich geodiversity, its beautiful scenery, and its history and tradition, Psiloritis Natural Park was included, from its early foundation, at the European Geoparks Network, and later at the Global Geoparks Network.
Since then, Psiloritis Geopark, in cooperation with the Municipalities and other Bodies of the local authorities and communities, developed the appropriate infrastructure to provide both its inhabitants and its guests with a high-quality life in a non-urban environment.
Today Psiloritis geopark plays an active role in the global efforts for the conservation and promotion of the environment, of the natural and cultural heritage, as well as of the sustainable local development through the geo-tourism and the other kinds of alternative tourism.
The local stakeholders, with which the Geopark (and its managing body, Ideon Network) cooperates, could be local businesses and their collective bodies, cultural associations, and legal entities that manage important infrastructures of the area (caves, museums, etc.) .a), and the entities that have an indirect relationship and support in various ways the activities of Psiloritis Geopark (NH Museum of Crete, GEOTEE, INSPEE, etc.) as well as other civil society entities.
The networking of the Geopark with these agencies is reflected differently depending on the characteristics of each agency.
With the businesses that are established and active in the area of the Geopark such as accommodation providers, taverns, craft- shops, women’s cooperatives, etc. the Psiloritis Geopark Local Quality Label has been created and is being promoted.
The Local Quality Label:
a) refers to products and services that are produced and offered in the area of the Psiloritis Geopark and reflect its environmental and cultural value,
b) reflects the cooperation between the agencies and businesses of the wider area of Psiloritis for the mutual promotion and sustainable development of the area and the business.
It should be emphasized that Psiloritis Geopark is part of the European Geoparks Network, which currently involves 98 Geoparks from European countries, as well as in the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network, which includes 195 Geoparks from 48 countries around the world.
Each Geopark must have information about all the Geoparks participating in the Network in its visitor information areas.
If we consider that members of the Geoparks’ Networks exist on every continent, one can easily understand the possibilities of promoting our region on a global level.
The benefits for a business from using the Local Quality Label are the following:
The exploitation of the added value conferred by the UNESCO logo, The ability to project the business.
The promotion through the Geopark’s website, through the corresponding promotional material published by the Psiloritis Geopark (tourist guides, brochures, interactive maps, etc.), through the activities it participates in (e.g. exhibitions), events of the European and Global network of Geoparks, etc.), at the information points of the Geopark,
The company’s ability to make Geopark material available to visitors,
The cooperation with the Geopark in matters in which the stakeholder is active (e.g. during the organization of conferences and events, as a rule, it is companies that have the Local Quality Label that will be chosen for hosting/catering/catering).
