Stella Ronner-Grubačić, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Greece
The Dutch know: Greece is more than just sun, sea and beaches
The popularity of Greece among Dutch tourists is on a continuous rise. Last year, more than 900,000 Dutch tourists chose Greece for their holidays, an increase of 12,9% compared to 2017. After Athens, Crete is a top destination among the Dutch tourists.
Of course, when people think of Greece, they firstly think of white beaches, blue waters, plenty of sun and great food. But the country has so much more to offer than just relaxing beach holidays. And I am happy to say that we see that, more and more, Dutch people are attracted by the diversity in tourism, both on the islands and the mainland. There is so much culture, there are beautiful cities and plenty of opportunities for hiking.
The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands always stands ready to support Dutch tourists in need. Having recently arrived, I can say I am impressed with the positive cooperation that exists between my team and the various relevant Greek authorities.
…That should be the aim: attract tourists that not only come here to enjoy the beautiful islands and hotels, but also to experience the many other delights Greece has to offer…
Stella Ronner-Grubačić, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Greece
I would like to add, though, that we do not only offer consular services to Dutch tourists. Our work entails more than helping tourists who lost their passports or seek other forms of assistance.
We also promote the different types of tourism Greece has to offer, like sports and health tourism. For example, hundreds of Dutch fans run the Athens Authentic Marathon every year, and we have regularly hosted events supporting these runners.
Entrepreneurship is another aspect of tourism in Greece where I see great potential for cooperation between the Netherlands and Greece. The diversity and entrepreneurial spirit of Greece is impressive.
Through Orange Grove, the Dutch embassy has supported this entrepreneurship for the past six years and counting. We have seen a wide range of business ideas adding value to the Greek economy, including in tourism.
Examples of the more than 120 start-ups supported by Orange Grove are a full-service facilitator for medical tourism, educative city tours on foot or by bike and an organic olive farm.
That should be the aim: attract tourists that not only come here to enjoy the beautiful islands and hotels but also to experience the many other delights Greece has to offer.
By reinforcing such entrepreneurship, tourism will stimulate the local economy even more and serve as an important engine for economic growth in Greece in the years to come.