Key Tourism Figures 2018: Evridiki Kourneta, Secretary General Tourism Ministry
Our strategy focuses on sustainable tourism development through new products and quality services
Tourism plays a key role in Greece’s new path to growth, having emerged as a major driver for the Greek economy and the country’s productive reconstruction. Tourism strongly encourages synergies between all involved stakeholders, while supporting local communities and high-quality services and products in the tourism industry. It also creates new opportunities for growth in other productive sectors such as transport, trade, retail, energy and real estate.
In the last four years, the Ministry of Tourism has implemented a concrete plan to establish Greece as a year-round destination globally and by 2020 among the top 5 European destinations and the 3 most popular in the Mediterranean for experiential travel.
Our strong international presence, the strategic agreements to increase national tourism shares from foreign markets, the extroversion as well as the increased participation in decision-making organizations and institutions, such as UNWTO, WTTC, OECD, lay the foundations on which we build the future of tourism. We upgrade tourism infrastructure and services, promote thematic tourism and reposition our country internationally as a top, attractive, safe and friendly destination for year-round tourism.
Our strategy focuses on sustainable tourism development through new products and quality services that offer authentic experiences to every visitor, highlighting the distinct identity of Greek destinations, cultural heritage, natural beauties, gastronomy and the genuine hospitality of the Greek people.
Together we can further promote tourism focusing on the quality & competitiveness of the national tourism product…
Through legislative initiatives, we have solved longstanding problems, we reduced bureaucracy, simplified licensing and provided incentives for new investment in the tourism industry by adding value to the tourist product and creating new jobs.
We upgraded our public tourism educational system and the training programs for tourism’s workforce, aiming for highly trained professionals with broad scientific knowledge, skills and strengths that will meet the latest standards and respond to the current needs of the tourism industry. We promote digital learning and integrate new modern disciplines. We are reopening and upgrading our Tourist Guides Schools, so that highly trained professionals will emerge and secure the present and the future of Greek tourism.
Together, the State, the Local Government, the Tourism Agencies and the private sector, along with the engagement of the local communities and the support of the media, we can further promote tourism focusing on the quality and competitiveness of the national tourism product, strengthen even more and consolidate Greece’s leading position on the world tourism map.