UNWTO: Greece Is A Success Story

UNWTO Secretary General Taleb Rifai

World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary General Taleb Rifai referred to the “tremendous turnaround” Greek tourism made in 2013, while speaking at the High-Level Conference On Coastal And Maritime Tourism held in Athens on 10 March.

“Greece is a success story… Hard work pays off,” Mr. Rifai said while addressing Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni.

Mr. Rifai underlined that the country’s increase in arrivals and revenue last year is three times the global average. The total number of tourists in Greece last year was 17.8 million, up 15 percent from 2012. Tourism receipts were up by some 15 percent.

The UNWTO’s secretary general also underlined tourism’s development globally: international tourist arrivals reached a record 1.087 billion in 2013. The number of travelers in the world grew by five percent or 52 million last year. Europe recorded a five percent rise in arrivals.

He also emphasized that tourism covers nine percent of the global labor market and focused on the need to link sustainable development with job creation.

Coastal and maritime tourism

“The sustainability of coastal tourism can be enhanced by integrating planning for tourism in a wider coastal management context, strengthening the assessment of tourism development projects, improving monitoring and management of tourism enterprises, and pursuing greater benefits for conservation and local communities,” the UNWTO’s secretary general said.

The High-Level Conference On Coastal And Maritime Tourism was held on the occasion of the Greek Presidency of the EU Council.