Athanasios Papavlasopoulos

• I. POULIOS
• N. MYLONAS
• E. BITSANI

This doctoral thesis investigates the role of social innovation within the tourism ecosystem, with particular emphasis on the contribution of social enterprises to the promotion of sustainable tourism development.
The starting point of the research is the recognition that the dominant model of mass tourism, despite its significant economic contribution, is often associated with environmental pressures, social inequalities, institutional dysfunctions, and the unequal distribution of benefits within local communities. From this perspective, sustainability is approached not as a technical or managerial objective, but as a dynamic process of social and institutional transformation.
The thesis examines, on the theoretical level, the relationship between social innovation, the social economy, and tourism, highlighting social enterprises as intermediary institutions that bridge the state, the market, and civil society. Particular emphasis is placed on forms of participatory governance, local embeddedness, and the production of social value that can foster more equitable, resilient, and inclusive tourism models. Methodologically, the research follows a multi-level macro–meso–micro approach and is based on qualitative analysis, drawing on semi-structured interviews, content analysis, and the comparative study of European cases. The Greek case of the Corfu Social Cooperative of Limited Liability (Koi.S.P.E. Corfu) is highlighted as a characteristic example of socially innovative practice.
The thesis concludes that social enterprises can function as critical agents of transition towards a new tourism paradigm that is more democratic and locally sustainable.