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PHOTOGRAPHS BY CIRIL JAZBEC
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By George Stone, TRAVEL executive editor
Until recently, the few summer visitors on Karpathos were the children and grandchildren of locals who had moved abroad. Unlike the hot spots of Mykonos and Santorini, the allures of this Greek island are more pastoral. Here, homegrown honey, wine, and olive oil are points of pride. But tourism is increasing, and the question is: Can the second largest island in the Dodecanese preserve its ancient traditions while welcoming outsiders?
You might think that beauty, history, and serenity would be advantage enough, but as Fahrinisa Campana reports, one quality in Karpathos rises above all others: Its late arrival to the tourism industry gives islanders the benefit of time, helping them “avoid many problems and not focus on mass tourism like it’s the only solution,” says Evangelia Agapiou of Ecotourism Karpathos.
In documenting the island’s natural and cultural heritage, Nat Geo Explorer and photographer Ciril Jazbec was captivated by a deep sense of self-sufficiency and independence among its people—the very facets that make Karpathos an off-the-beaten-path gem. The challenge will be to manage tourism while also preserving tradition. “In English, the definition of ‘eco’ is more ‘ecological,’” Agapiou says. “‘Ecos’ in the Greek language means the home, the land, the community. So, this is ecotourism—to bring people together.”
Read the full story here.
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