Key Tourism Figures 2019: Angela Gerekou, President, Greek National Tourism Organization
In our new strategy, sustainability is a priority of the Greek Tourism Agenda
Tourism in Greece is a key pillar of country’s GDP and for many years in the past, there was a perception that this was a sector “going well on its own” and thus left to the political “autopilot”.
Today’s constantly changing international environment requires effective strategies that can solve pathogens and unlock further development of the Greek tourism products and services, which can give the needed upgrade in country’s international image.
The Global Tourism Market is one of the most lucrative but at the same time one of the most volatile and most exposed to a number of unpredictable factors. New Media has created a whole new field of information and influence on the choice of travel destination.
Global trends are growing at a faster rate, which means that every positive as well as every negative public comment or critique potentially has a faster and multiplier effect.
Greece, having the incomparable advantages that are generously offered in our country by the diptych “sea and sun”, has shaped country’s tourism product over the years, but there is also a huge range of other travel opportunities that it can offer all year long.
We move on these procedures in an open dialogue and cooperation with the country’s institutional business actors of tourism sector, the representatives of local authorities, and cultural and social factors, so that Greece’s positive image remains positive and upgrades more.
…We promote Greece’s local image in a way that fulfills the increasing needs of the international environment so that we can achieve even greater diversification and duration in time….
In our new approach we proceed with a new agenda that leaves no one behind, promoting all 13 Greek Regions and most of the areas of thematic tourism, in order to achieve an all year tourism destination and not just a summer one, unlocking the further potentials of each area.
In our new strategy as formed by the Ministry of Tourism, sustainability is a priority of the Greek Tourism Agenda. Facing the environmental, social, and economic challenges, under the 17 Sustainable Developments Goals, is our main priority in order to promote new innovative and needed practices in the tourism sector.
The whole chain of activities in Tourism field must adapt quickly so that it can have investments, operations and tourist visitors all together in a sustainable path, regarding best practices that help each destination to mitigate environmental and economic issues at the present, so that a sustainable future is set.
Sustainable Tourism Development is not only our goal but also the United Nations’ and an uprising social issue concerning not only institutions but every individual.
That is a goal that takes time, proper and organized effort but we are ready to face it and unwilling to postpone it.
Facilitating investment in the tourism sector in particular is also one of the priorities in our area of interest, because they can fulfill our main objective: to upscale the overall positive image of the country, to provide high quality services and have sustainability features.
The international parameters of the Tourism product are at the core of our strategy and we are working on that so we can cope effectively with the Brexit consequences, and all the issues regarding our country’s position in the crossroads of Asia and Europe.
We promote Greece’s local image in a way that fulfills the increasing needs of the international environment so that we can achieve even greater diversification and duration in time.
Greek Tourism as also the Greek society, now has to adapt to global trends and I’m confident that this will happen and we will deal with all the challenges in a successful way.