Greek Tourism Begins Digital Transition Journey

“Through smartphones, before visiting our country, tourists can plan itineraries and be informed on the experiences they can live in Greece.” – Digital Policy Minister Nikos Pappas

The Tourism Ministry and the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) are embarking on a digital transition to better meet tourists’ needs and offer a unique experience to potential visitors when searching for information on destination Greece.

Digital Policy, Telecommunications and Information Minister Nikos Pappas and Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura. Photo source: Greek Tourism Ministry

The announcement came on Friday following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Digital Policy, Telecommunications and Information Minister Nikos Pappas and Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura. The memorandum sees modern technology tools being included in Greece’s tourism policy, in the ministry’s aim to successfully promote the country abroad.

Referring to the agreement with the Digital Policy Ministry as a “flagship project” that will be a legacy for Greek tourism, Minister Kountoura said that the digital transition of the ministry’s and the GNTO’s services will introduce innovative practices for citizens, businesses and foreign visitors.

“Modern tools of technology enrich our tourism product, enhance the extroversion of Greek tourism and help to promote Greece even more targeted and effectively as a top attractive destination for tourism 365 days a year on an international level,” Minister Kountoura said.

Key actions

Visit Greece portal.

According to an announcement, the agreement between the two ministries sets the foundation for the implementation of four key actions under the tourism ministry’s digital policy:

1. The digital transition of the services provided by the tourism ministry and the GNTO to citizens, businesses and foreign visitors.
2. The digital upgrading of tourism education for the first time.
3. The use of state-of-the-art tools for the collection and processing of quantitative and qualitative tourism data, necessary for identifying the sector’s contribution to the national economy, forming long-term policies and promoting Greece globally based on the international trends.
4. The creation of an integrated digital ecosystem to promote Greek tourism, focusing on the new multilingual and interactive “Visit Greece” e-portal, which will offer, in one place, all the information users seek for destination “Greece”. The portal is expected to be enriched with new virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR) and 360o video technologies.

According to Digital Policy Minister Pappas, the agreement shows that the government is fully aware that Greek tourism, which contributes greatly to the country’s economy, can go into a new era.

“This means that the tourism product can be multiple and diversified: Through smartphones, before visiting our country, tourists can plan itineraries and be informed on the experiences they can live in Greece,” Pappas said.