Over 3,000 Local Businesses Turn to Google’s Grow Greek Tourism for Training

Archive photo of “Grow Greek Tourism Online” presentation on Crete. Photo source: creteplus.gr

Some 3,000 tourist sector enterprises benefitted from the know-how of Google’s ambitious Grow Greek Tourism Online initiative, which kicked off last September.

The Google training project, aiming to boost the presence of sector professionals and their businesses through ongoing training in the use of online technology and help attract visitors all year round, came to a close on April 29, with a special Athens event.

Following Google’s announcement in March that it would expand the service to six more destinations – the Peloponnese, the Cyclades islands, the Ionian isles, Macedonia, the Dodecanese islands and Attica – the Grow Greek Tourism Online team visited Kalamata, Mykonos, Corfu, Thessaloniki and Rhodes, offering training to local professionals.

Nine out of 10 local businesses found the training events useful and beneficial for their development, while eight in 10 participants said they would boost their use of the internet in shaping the image of and promoting their business.

Meanwhile, Google’s support line has received over 200 calls by entrepreneurs wishing to participate in the training programs.

Dubbed “Grow Greek Tourism Online,” the initiative provides the Greek tourism industry with the necessary digital skills and online tools via Google My Business, Google AdWords and Google Maps to boost development during and beyond the summer season.