Corporate Members: An Institution is Born – Nea Odos & Kentriki Odos

In 2015, Nea Odos and Kentriki Odos joined the DIAZOMA Association family with an annual subscription of 5,000 euros. At the time, we could not have imagined that DIAZOMA had just gained a staunch ally and friend. The contributions of Nea Odos and Kentriki Odos have been crucial ever since, playing a key role in the design, implementation, and management of the new cultural tourism programmes.

To date, the two companies have supported the Association with donations of 17,000 euros in aid of operating costs and 240,780 euros in aid of actions.

Through their significant work in our country, Nea Odos and Kentriki Odos have changed the map of Greece. Social responsibility, the promotion of sustainability, and the prosperity and well-being of local communities have been at the heart of the two companies’ strategies and day-to-day operations.

DIAZOMA, New Odos, and Kentriki Odos share a vision and noble goal: for highways, these great works of engineering, to also become AVENUES OF CIVILIZATION. Below, you can view all the actions we have taken together to achieve this goal:

Nea Odos Actions:

• Ancient Theatres of Epirus Cultural Route

Year	Project
November 2015	Background study recording the projected revenues of the Cultural Route for the ancient theatres of Epirus at the level of (a) macro-economic, (b) destination marketing and management organization, and (c) private sector enterprises supporting it.
August 2016	Creation of a Digital Cultural – Environmental Route for the cultural and environmental heritage monuments located along the “Ionia Odos” Motorway.
	Creation of a Digital Cultural – Environmental Route for the cultural and environmental heritage monuments located along the PATHE Motorway, from Metamorphosi to Raches.
April 2017	Study on the organization of the participation of Epirus’ local economy in the Ancient Theatres of Epirus Cultural Route.
April 2018	Financing part of the cost of the launch event of the Ancient Theatres of Epirus Cultural Route: video production for the presentation of the philosophy underpinning the program to the public – creation of the Route’s website – design and implementation of the hall’s audio-visual infrastructure, and the information -promotional material.
February 2019	Study: The role and operation of EPIRUS S.A. as destination marketing and management organization (DMO) of the Ancient Theatres of Epirus Cultural Route.
	Strengthening DIAZOMA’s structure to support EPIRUS S.A. – recruitment of a special advisor.
	Supporting the “DIAZOMA” Association to strengthen Epirus S.A. via the following actions:   1.       Supporting the DMO to best organize the monitoring of each link in the quality chain. 2.       Continuous production of literature and information material to promote the Route and its monuments. 3.       Continuous training of the DMO executives and the businesses belonging to the enterprise cluster on new technologies to support the Marketing of the Route. 4.       Supporting the DMO to apply everything pertaining to the cluster members, such as creating a website for those members who do not have one. 5.       Highlighting and promoting the Region’s advantages with regard to entrepreneurship.
November 2019	Supporting the D-HUB incubator to strengthen the Epirus Route DMO and enterprise cluster with the following actions:   1.                   Supporting the DMO to best organize the monitoring of each link in the quality chain of cultural tourism products. 2.                   Supporting the DMO to apply the requirements pertaining to the cluster members and assist participants in fulfilling the requisite criteria (e.g., creation of a website, etc.). 3.                   Production of additional studies reflecting the continually shifting conditions in order to determine the necessary steps for the proper operation and organization of the DMO.

• OEDIPUS Route:

Year	Project
November 2018	Marketing Plan study of the OEDIPUS Route.
February 2019	Supporting the DIAZOMA Association to strengthen the structure of Evia Development Company S.A., specifically: 1.                   Training DMO executives for the continuous monitoring of the quality operation of the Route. 2.                   Production of texts and information material based on the Marketing Study for the promotion of the Route and its monuments.
	Study for the distinctive and specific signage of natural and cultural locations of interest along the Routes to connect the seven hubs.
	Preparatory study for the Thermopylae Archaeological Site’s management, focusing on the restoration of the Phocian Wall (Part I).

 

Kentriki Odos Actions:

Year	Project
February 2019	Preparatory study for the Thermopylae Archaeological Site’s management, focusing on the restoration of the Phocian Wall (Part II).
	Creation of a digital panorama of the environmental and cultural monuments located along the Odos Kentrikis Ellados S.A. motorway, specifically the E65 motorway.

 

And there is more to come! With Nea Odos and the Ionia Odos Motorway, a steady ally of the Epirus Route from the start, as a vehicle, we are already planning the co-organization of the 7^th DIAZOMA Corporate Members Meeting in Arta.

The cooperation we have developed serves the motorway’s contribution to the promotion of our country’s cultural and environmental wealth. This safe, modern motorway not only reduces the journey from Antirrion to Ioannina to a drive of less than two hours, but it also connects ancient monuments to prosperity and sustainable development.

At the same time, preparations for the cultural route and promotion of all the monuments in the prefectures of Phthiotis, Karditsa and Trikala are already underway, through Kentriki Odos and the E65 motorway.