A Research on the Development of Rural Tourism Area and the Reality of Bottom-up Approach throughthe EU Grant Programme LEADER

―A Case Study of the Aegean Region in Greece―

Abstract

Since the early 1990s, the EU funding programme LEADER has made an important contribution to the development of rural tourism in Europe. This study aimed to investigate and analyse the concept and reality of the LEADER “Bottom-up Approach” in Greece, and to show the characteristics of the Greek “Bottom-up Approach” in the context of LEADER, endogenous development theory and neo-endogenous development theory. In conclusion, the characteristics of the Bottom-up Approach of LEADER in Greece are that LAGs have contributed to business development through daily interaction with local residents, businesses and municipalities, and are now also contributing to the establishment of new local business networks.