Contribution of the Venetian Monuments of Rhodes to Cultural Tourism and the Local Development of the Island

This article examines the contribution of Italian monuments to the local development of the island of Rhodes. It is an island with tradition which is undoubtedly famous for its history as well as for the manners and customs that represent the contribution of culture to local sustainability. This particular island provides rich cultural as well as natural resources that contribute to tourism development. Our theme is connected to the active role played by the cultural heritage created by the Venetians, the Genoese and the Knights and which the Italians preserved, highlighted and utilized in the period 1912-1948. The quantitative research we carried out deals with the cultural tourism of Rhodes with a focus on the Italian monuments, the visitation and the tourist interest as well as the order of preference of the Italian monuments by the visitors.