Peloponnese Seeks to Tap into Vast Tourism Potential

Finikounda, Messini in the Peloponnese. Photo Source: @Mythical Peloponnese

Diversifying the tourism product of the Peloponnese in order to attract a wider consumer base was the focus of a workshop held within the 20th Development Forum / Money Show last week at the Astir Hotel in Patras.

Organized by the Peloponnese Tourism Organization (PTO), the workshop – titled “Smart Management of Tourist Destinations” – “Trends & Policies for the Peloponnese” – focused on ways to tap into the tourist potential of the region and the wealth of offerings ensuring year-round tourism and creating the conditions for further growth.

Attended by the region’s sector professionals, academics and chamber representatives, the event concluded that the Peloponnese and Western Greece are not considered “top priority” destinations and as such are now required to identify ways to “intelligently manage” the resources available in efforts to reduce the seasonality of tourism; increase average per capita spending through the promotion of higher quality accommodation, services and infrastructure; tap into human resources; strengthen the social economy; and promote synergies that will interconnect industries and sectors.

In this direction, it is vital that “the tourism ministry and all ministries involved, in cooperation with regional, municipal and local authorities give priority to the balanced development of the country’s ‘unfavored’ tourist destinations, initiating actions for the promotion of the tourist product of geographical units such as the Peloponnese and Western Greece, which due to lack of appropriate policies were not helped to develop into leading tourist destinations despite their significant tourist resources,” said PTO chairman Konstantinos Marinakos.