Abstract
In December 2009, hunting was banned for a few days in Greece following the decision of the Council of State. The decision was issued when an animal rights organization claimed to the Court that there was no updated evidence about the impact of hunting on wild populations. This case prompted the present study, which focused on examining the hypothetical scenario of the possible impact of a long–term hunting ban on local businesses in rural areas in Greece. We carried out face–to–face interviews with entrepreneurs from the accommodation and food service sectors. Our results showed that most business owners interviewed considered the impact would be significant for their annual earnings. This finding should be taken into account by environmental decision makers because rural and mountainous areas in Greece are sparsely populated, and the few small businesses that still operate would not withstand drastic changes in rural tourism.
Key words: Economic contribution of hunting, Hunting restrictions, Accommodation services sector, Food service sector
Περίληψη
Τα αποτελέσματά της έρευνας έδειξαν πως οι περισσότεροι ιδιοκτήτες επιχειρήσεων θεωρούν ότι το ενδεχόμενο απαγόρευσης της θήρας θα έχει σοβαρές επιπτώσεις για τις ετήσιες αποδοχές τους. Το συμπέρασμα αυτό πρέπει να λαμβάνεται υπόψη από τους φορείς λήψης αποφάσεων, επειδή οι λίγες μικρές επιχειρήσεις που εξακολουθούν να λειτουργούν στην επαρχία και σε απομακρυσμένες περιοχές δεν θα αντέξουν δραστικές αλλαγές στον αγρο-τουρισμό.