Greece Discusses Best Practices For Spa Tourism With Hungarian Officials

The best practices for spa tourism and details concerning the certification of Greece’s thermal springs were discussed recently in a meeting held in Athens between the Greek Tourism Ministry and representatives of the Government of Hungary.

The meeting was part of the Tourism Ministry’s general cooperation with its European partners, supported by the Task Force for Greece-Athens Office, on a series of tourism issues.

During the meeting, Mrs. Kefalogianni highlighted the importance the tourism ministry shows on spa tourism and informed the Hungarian officials that the Natural Thermal Resources Protection Committee has completed the evaluation/certification process of the country’s thermal springs.

“The promotion and development of spa tourism (in Greece) is a priority of the ministry and part of the new policy that supports new, special forms of tourism that strengthen the sector and the country’s regional development,” Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said.

She also referred to legislation that includes special arrangements for health and spa tourism that facilitate the operation of spas and enterprises that offer relevant services.

The Hungarian officials were also informed on the strategic directions for tourism development in areas of thermalism and for the establishment of resorts in areas that have medicinal natural resources and therapeutic tourism centers, in accordance with the new Special Zoning Plan for Tourism.

The meeting was attended by Greek and Hungarian experts on spa tourism, representatives of the Ministries of Tourism and Health, the Public Properties Company (ETAD), the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (TAIPED) and representatives from the country’s thermal springs.

This was the fifth meeting organized in collaboration with the Task Force and their respective European governments on specific tourism issues of interest to Greece. Previous meetings included dicussions on tourism facilities and investments with France (Atout France), vocational tourism education with Finland, France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, higher vocational tourism education with Switzerland (Ecole Hoteliere de Lausanne) and winter tourism with Austria.