Mass Tourism in Malia: Towards a Decolonial Model for the Lassithi Plateau

Abstract

This paper explores how mass tourism operates as a neo-colonial mechanism in the Malia region of Crete, and whether degrowth can serve as a decolonial alternative for the Lassithi Plateau tourism development, located 20km away. Combining desk and action research, the study investigates how tourism-driven urbanisation, cultural commodification, and extractive infrastructure perpetuate economic and spatial inequalities. In contrast, the Lassithi Plateau showcases that cultural background, agricultural activity, and community agency offer fertile ground for a degrowth-based tourism model. Based on local findings and international case studies, this research examines whether a community-led framework could comprise a viable alternative for future tourism development. Despite structural challenges, degrowth tourism emerges as a strategy for restoring cultural identity, reclaiming autonomy, and resisting capitalist extraction in tourism-dependent regions.