The case study has been published in the book International Cases in Sustainable Travel & Tourism and can be purchased by Goodfellow Publishers. To receive an exclusive 10% discount on the book enter the code BESTENGP at checkout when buying directly from the Goodfellow Publishers website. Following the link you can access the free of charge Powerpoint presentation on Zakynthos.

Synopsis and Learning Outcomes

This case study examines the collaborative sustainable practices adopted by three vertically integrated and sister organisations, namely: Ionian Eco Villagers, Nature World Travel and Earth, Sea & Sky. The organisations are located in Zakynthos and aim to promote tourism development, while simultaneously protecting the marine life of the island. The analysis and examples of the case study explain how organisations can design, control, promote and provide a holistic sustainable tourism experience that creates shared value for all stakeholders involved by exploiting two issues: a) the vertical integration of the organisations through the tourism supply chain; and b) the creation of a stakeholders’ network (including tourists, partners, suppliers, locals, volunteers, NGOs etc.) for developing collaborative sustainable practices. In analysing these approaches, the case study builds on theories related to: sustainable management based on a supply chain approach; shared (social, economic and environmental) value creation; and managing customer/people’s behaviour and contributions towards sustainability. Finally, the case study discusses the affordances of social media to further enrich and expand the sustainable practices of the organisations at a global and wholly collaborative scale.

After completing this case study learners should be able to demonstrate:

1. the importance of managing sustainability from a tourism supply chain perspective;
2. the need to develop and nurture a stakeholder network for developing and implementing collaborative sustainable practices that create shared (economic, social and environmental) value to all stakeholders;
3. the importance of tourist roles and behaviour in achieving and supporting tourism sustainability; and
4. the affordances of social media to enrich, expand and nurture the sustainable collaborative practices of organisations as well as to further empower customers to get actively involved in sustainability.