The Ionian islands are handicapped by a number of structural problems caused by a variety of factors, notably their remoteness from the "centre of Europe", their scattered geographical location and isolation from the mainland, the lack of infrastructure and the region's highly developed tourism sector, which has led to excessive specialisation in the regional economy based around a single activity.
Les Iles Ioniennes connaissent des problèmes structurels compte tenu, essentiellement, de la distance entre les îles et le « centre de l'Europe », du caractère insulaire de la région, d'infrastructures insuffisantes et d'un développement intense du tourisme, accompagné de la spécialisation économique de la zone sur un seul type d'activité.