A new type of tourism is budding in crisis-hit Greece and growing at impressive rates, increasingly attracting visitors from around the world. It is focused on sporting events staged on islands, which combine the thrill of competition with breathtaking scenery as a backdrop on sundrenched landscapes. 

According to a CNN report devoted to the issue, it is an alternative way of attracting tourists and it features running, swimming and other races, offering new ways of exploring the country's beautiful isles.

Some of the most popular Greek island sporting events include the Syros City Trail Race, an athletic event promoting the historical and cultural heritage of the island; the Crete Half Marathon, expected to attract more than 2,500 runners; the Serifos Sunset Race, offering the unique experience of a sunset run along the beautiful beaches of Serifos; the Kefalonia Two Capital Challenge, the Lefkada Green Half Marathon, Hydra’s rail event, and the Spetses Mini Marathon, all welcome visitors who are keen to enjoy sports in ideal surroundings.

"In a competitive tourism market, the Greek island race circuit is growing," says Petros Bouchoris, founder of Runningreece, the first English-language website to offer up-to-date competition information and race destination tourism packages across Greece. "Race events allow travelers to discover places they never heard of," Bouchoris adds. "Imagine you can run over much of an island as its natural landscape unfolds before you".

"Where race line-ups once had zero international competitors, the dozen or so events held across some of the country's best known destinations now pull in thousands from abroad, including runners from the U.S., France and Germany", the article concludes.