Key Tourism Figures 2017: Panagiotis Tokouzis, President Greek Confederation of Tourist Accommodation Enterprises

Official Tourism Message

For yet another year the tourism industry in Greece has reached high levels, ranking our country among the leading travel destinations worldwide. This trend clearly states that last year’s growth was not a short-term growth but the result of an upgrade in the content of the tourism product we offer.

Our brightest Greek sun and our clean sea are not simply enough to attract the tourist’s interest and to make Greece a competitive market. The differentiation and the modernization of the tourism product our country can offer should be our only concern; a fact which seems to be difficult to realize for some of the professionals in the sector as well as for the politicians who are in charge.

S.E.T.K.E has already set a clear goal to upgrade and promote the services offered as well as the implementation of a new type of accommodation specializing in the “experiential tourism”.

The lodgings will obtain a certification based on the different kind of experiential tourism they provide; Be it walking tourism, climbing tourism, gastronomy tourism, fishing tourism and so on, providing a brand-new way of choosing a destination.

The lodgings will address visitors who wish a different kind of experience rather than an all-inclusive choice; new customized experiences to match personal preferences and needs.

Yet another initiative of S.E.T.K.E. is to upgrade the services offered by the lodgings including the «breakfast basket» which is about to be completed and launched as of next year.

This new idea aims to get our guests to taste the local and typical food coming from small producers of the area they are visiting, getting them to discover precious gastronomic treasures in Greece.

We are now inviting the tourists, today’s travelers to visit one of the 30.000 small lodgings in the country for a new, special, tourist experience.