World Tourism Day 2023: Are there sea turtle-friendly hotels in north Crete?
In 2023, World Tourism Day finds ARCHELON implementing together with TUI Care Foundation an innovative idea on the north coasts of Crete: a pilot certification for sea turtle-friendly hotels (the TUI Turtle-Friendly Tourism Certification) that aims to promote the protection of sea turtles and their habitats with the active participation of the tourism sector.
But why is tourism important to sea turtles?
“Scientific evidence shows that female loggerhead hatchlings will return as adults to nest at the same beaches they hatched from”, says the president of ARCHELON, Thomas Arapis. “So, in what condition will these beaches be in 15-20 years from now, when this year’s hatchlings will come back to nest?” he wonders.
ARCHELON has been actively monitoring the sea turtle nesting beaches in Zakynthos, Kyparissia Bay, Lakonikos Bay, Rethymno, Chania, and Messara Bay for 40 years now. Most of these areas that are surveyed daily by volunteers every summer, are affected by tourism, while Zakynthos and Crete have become top global tourist destinations.
In an effort to reduce the impact of tourism on the nesting beaches, ARCHELON carries out public awareness actions through presentations in hotels and at the ARCHELON Information Stations. For example, from May to August around 10,200 visitors were informed by volunteers/researchers about the protection of sea turtles in Rethymno and learned how turtles and tourists can live together. However, observations of intense human activity on nesting beaches lead to the conclusion that there can be no future for sea turtles without a more active involvement of the tourism sector. This is where this new hotel certification comes in to help.
The purpose of the TUI Turtle-Friendly Tourism Certification is to encourage sustainable development in tourism, by providing guidelines for businesses on the nesting beaches, and helping tourists make environmentally friendly choices when it comes to their accommodation and excursions. The main criteria that the hotels must meet are (a) that sunbeds are removed from the beach at night so that there is enough space for the 'mother' turtles to make their nests and (b) the lights of the hotels would not be visible from the beach so that the hatchlings do not get disoriented on their way to the sea.
The "TUI Turtle Aid Greece" project by TUI Care Foundation and ARCHELON began with the cooperation of 2 hotels in Rethymno this summer and is expected to be extended to Chania in the following years. In collaboration with the sustainable tourism consulting company Ecoclub S.A., the project is expected to support and guide selected hotels in the process of implementing the new certification.
- Learn how you can help the sea turtles when you are on a nesting beach here
- Support our sea turtle protection actions
The Field Leaders of 2023 and their role
Lilo, the tiny green turtle, made it back to the sea!
RECENT NEWS
- OUR NEWS30/11/2023
Summer 2024: Come back to sea turtle conservation as a leader!
Joining or returning to ARCHELON’s sea turtle projects as a Field Leader will give you the opportunity to lead specific activities as well as train and help others in the projects. These positions provide a higher level of experience in nature conservation/ environment protection, as well as improved communication and leadership skills. Hurry and apply now! Only a limited number of experienced and skilled volunteers are selected to serve as leaders in each project.
- OUR NEWS23/11/2023
The establishment of the “Amvrakikos Alliance”
The Alliance's vision in collaboration with the local community is to highlight the unique ecological value and the natural and cultural heritage of Amvrakikos, for the most effective management, restoration, and protection of its ecosystems and biodiversity.
- OUR NEWS16/11/2023
Kids Beach Competition 2023: Turtles made of natural materials that stole our hearts!
The little friends of ARCHELON who participated in the Kids Beach Competition 2023 formed turtles from pebbles, sand, water, rocks, sticks, leaves and shells, spreading the message of protecting sea turtles on the various beaches of Greece. Angeliki's (7 years old) little turtle on top of the big rock stole 694 hearts and became the winner!
- OUR NEWS15/11/2023
The Field Leaders of 2023 and their role
Matthew from the UK, Noha from France, David from the Netherlands, Aris from Greece started one summer as volunteers knowing little about turtles and their protection. Their experience made them return to the conservation projects as Field Leaders to take on more responsibilities, as trainers and mentors for new volunteers.
- OUR NEWS15/09/2023
Lilo, the tiny green turtle, made it back to the sea!
In November 2021 a small green turtle arrived at the ARCHELON Rescue Centre with a very serious head injury. After almost two years of intensive care, one Wednesday in September 2023 he was finally discharged and returned to the sea!
- OUR NEWS17/08/2023
World record of 37 years of reproductive life for a loggerhead sea turtle in Zakynthos, Greece – increased number of nests this summer, says ARCHELON
ARCHELON – the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece announces an important outcome of the systematic work of this year's sea turtle nest monitoring team in Zakynthos. Based on their long-term observations, ARCHELON managed to certify a new World Record of reproductive activity for loggerhead turtles.
- OUR NEWS07/08/2023
ATTENTION! Sea turtles are not pets: Do not touch them or feed them!
The Municipality of Eastern Mani and the Port Authorities requested the assistance of ARCHELON to inform beach users in the area of Limeni, near Mani, where 35 new incidents of sea turtle attacks on sea bathers have been recorded during this summer season. These are added to the already long list of 200 such records of previous years found in the nearby Health Center in Areopolis.
- OUR NEWS01/08/2023
Interview with a volunteer: Lea Heinen, Rescue Centre
Interview with a volunteer: Lea Heinen, Rescue Centre Lea shares her experience volunteering at the ARCHELON Sea Turtle Rescue Centre: “I think when a turtle starts to eat after a month of trying, when you can see the improvement or healing of a turtle's injury and when a turtle is released back into the sea, into its natural habitat, into its home - then you know that you are indeed saving turtles”.
- OUR NEWS21/07/2023
Kids Beach Competition 2023: Make your own little sea turtle with natural materials and send us a photo!
Help us spread the message about the protection of sea turtles by making your own baby turtles with natural materials you will find on the beach. Sand, stones, pebbles, shells, seaweed, sticks and whatever else you have available, can be transformed with a little imagination! Take a photo of your work and send it to the ARCHELON Beach Competition.
- OUR NEWS18/07/2023
Paving the way for next steps in conservation of marine turtles in the Mediterranean region
Last week the partner organizations of the project “Conservation of Marine Turtles in the Mediterranean Region” met for the 9th Steering Committee Meeting. The meeting was organized by SPA/RAC in the area of Kyparissia Bay, Greece on the 4th and 5th of July, 2023 in collaboration with ARCHELON.
- OUR NEWS04/07/2023
An offer to EXPERIENCED volunteers: You can now join the beach projects for 2-3 weeks!
The time is just right to join the projects again, even if you have only 2 or 3 weeks of available time. This offer is valid for August, September, October 2023. Apply through our new website and find out more about the dates and places you can join. More…
- OUR NEWS22/06/2023
The nesting season has begun! Learn what you can do if you find sea turtle tracks or nests on the beach
The nesting season for the loggerhead sea turtles has begun. The nests that are made in the areas monitored by ARCHELON and other collaborating groups are already being recorded. However, if you find tracks or nests on other beaches, you can also participate in the effort to record and protect these sporadic nests. Find out why it's important…
- OUR NEWS16/06/2023
A breath away from registering a new world record on the years of known active reproduction of a loggerhead sea turtle is ARCHELON, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece
This is the year when ARCHELON, a nonprofit environmental NGO, is celebrating 40 years of continuous and targeted action to save sea turtles in Greece and the Mediterranean. At the same time, the project teams of ARCHELON are ready to register the longest period of active reproduction known for the Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), in case it happens this year!
- OUR NEWS15/06/2023
A Saturday unlike any other - Turtle Festival 2023
ARCHELON invites kids and adults to celebrate the environment and the sea in an exciting way at the "Sea Turtle Festival" on Saturday, May 27 at the Sea Turtle Rescue Centre in the 3rd Marina of Glyfada.
- OUR NEWS07/06/2023
Announcement for all past volunteers of ARCHELON: Shall we meet this September?
Highlight: Hi everyone! This year marks 40 years of ARCHELON’s action for protecting sea turtles in Greece. During these four decades, thousands of volunteers from many countries joined our sea turtle projects and the Rescue Centre to help save the turtles. Let’s meet again this coming September and celebrate the animals we saved during all these years.