Yperia 2011 – Brief Review

Yperia 2011 – a confernce on tourism and culture on Amorgos at the Aegialis Hotel & Spa had it’s 9th anniversary, the Amorgos Festival of Short Tourist Films took place within the conference the second time.

Major Nikitas Roussos and Irene Giannakopoulos,

Mrs. Irene Giannakopoulos President of Cultural Association Tholaria and hostess of  Aegialis Hotel & Spa opened the conference on 28th of April and welcomed nearly 60 participants from different countries. The four days program was fully packed with excoursions, presentations, film projections and discussions.

The spirit of the conference was around tourism and travel styles that care about local communities & culture as well as the environment – responsible travel. The major of Amorgos Mr. Nikitas Roussos explicit pointed out Amorgos’ special role in responsible and ecofriendly tourism.

Beside a multimedia presentation of the photographer Talinas Dimitris (Strategies in the Aegean) the presentation of Magda Roussi (Fine Art Group of University of Piraeus), Human-Environment-Technology, Mr. Giorgos Gavalas‘ presentation about Amorgian tunics or Mr. Antonis Vlavianos‘ Speech about ancient coins, were conference highlights.

Ilias Provopoulos, Writer & Journalist reading from his new Book "Asfodilitis"

The participants visited landscapes and monuments of Amorgos (Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa, Chora, Archaeological Museum, Tholaria, Potamos, Panochoriani Church, Lagada, UNESCO nominated stone walls of Asfodilitis, etc) and took part in Prossessions of icons to the villages of Amorgos, and  to the monastery Hozoviotissa.

Amorgian Gastronomy was presented and tasted  during lunches and dinners in restaurants: “Ambrosia” – Aegialis Hotel & Spa where there was wine tasting, and cookery demonstration, Restaurant “Lakki”, “O Chondros”, “To Limani” in Aegialis, “Panorama” in Tholaria. Farewell Dinner took place at Aegialis Hotel & Spa with Traditional Music and Dancing.

Amorgos Island Magazine was proud to present the magazine, the island’s new geocaching program and organized a geocaching demonstration for the participants at Asfondilits on Sunday.

Papa Yorgis of Potamos & Mr. Lignos Emanouil, Head of Yperia 2011

The tradition of Yperia, organized by Women’s Cultural Association of Tholaria, comes into work and continously creates and intensifies the growing awarenes of sustainable tourism and should be continued to impact the future of tourism on Amorgos.

Conference Venue