connect with us
Greece's latest tourism industry news by Greek Travel Pages

Greek Summer is a State of Mind: New Tourism Campaign for Greece

“Greek Summer is a state of mind… This year, enjoy your Greek summer wherever you are…” is the message of Greece’s new tourism campaign that will be sent out to the world this year, following the Covid-19 crisis.

The new campaign was presented on Thursday at the Cine Aegli open air cinema in Athens by the Tourism Ministry and Marketing Greece, a private marketing company for the promotion of Greek tourism. The highlight of the event was the screening of the campaign’s new video to an audience that included Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, representatives of tourism bodies, politicians and the media.

According to Marketing Greece CEO Ioanna Dretta, the new campaign is designed to send out a message of optimism and inspire the world to travel to the country whenever possible.

“Through the campaign we aim to create a lasting expectation. To build a new brand and create a desire (for travel) that can be fulfilled for all once the conditions allow it. The Greek summer will always be here,” Dretta said before the video’s screening.

Marketing Greece CEO Ioanna Dretta. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

The new campaign aims to inform international travelers of the experience the Greek summer offers, which does not stop at “sun and sea”, but contains something deeper, more true, more humane: the feeling of freedom, happiness and anticipation for the best days to come.

The campaign’s video, which in just 40 seconds highlights this uniqueness of Greece, aims to create a new brand for the country: the Greek Summer. A brand that at this stage urges the world to “experience” Greece from wherever they are, considering that travel is not possible for all at this time. In the long run, the campaign is expected to boost Greece’s popularity and put holidaymakers in the travel mode to visit in the near future.

The campaign was designed and created by Marketing Greece, Thanassis Papathanassiou of Frank and Fame, Steve Vranakis – CCO of the Greek Government, Thomas Varvitsiotis and Elias Tsaousakis, in collaboration with the GNTO and the Tourism Ministry.

Steve Vranakis: The campaign builds on Greece’s new ‘thought leadership’ position

Steve Vranakis,Chief Creative Officer of the Greek Government. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

Explaining the idea behind the campaign, Steve Vranakis said that the aim was to produce something creative with a strong message at its core.

“We also believe that this idea can help redefine the seasonality of our industry and extend tourism throughout the rest of the year,” he said.

Noting that the Greek PM’s thought leadership received worldwide praise for responding quickly to the coronavirus pandemic, Vranakis said: “That’s what we want to continue to build on: ‘thought leadership’, at a time when the world really needs it. The campaign builds on this new thought leadership position that Greece has in the world”.

Moreover, Vranakis sent out a message to the world: “To everyone that will be traveling to Greece in the next weeks and months and until we can see everyone here again soon, we want you all to enjoy your Greek summer, wherever you are… Greek summer is a feeling. Greek summer is a state of mind.

Greek PM: New campaign comes with long-term focus

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

Emphasizing on the message of the campaign, Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis underlined that Greece is not only the sun and the sea, but a “perception” that goes beyond the summer months.

During his speech, the PM highlighted that this year’s message for Greek tourism comes with a long-term focus.

“Τhe goal is for the ‘special feeling’ of the Greek summer to ‘reach’ those who will not be able to visit the country this year… But this is a campaign that not only invests in 2020, but also looks beyond, towards 2021 and 2022,” Mitsotakis said.

Tourism Minister: Health above all

Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

On his part, Greek Tourism Minister Harry Theoharis underlined that Greece will begin to welcome visitors from June 15 in an organized manner, but with health above everything else and based on solid European data regarding safe airports.

“Tourism will open with strict health protocols and enhanced health infrastructure in every destination so that every citizen and tourist has access to care,” he said.

Referring to the new campaign, the tourism minister said: “The message Greece’s new tourism campaign is sending abroad is that ‘the Greek summer, which we deserve more than ever this year and that our friends need more than ever this year… is here, wherever you are'”.

The cost of production of Greece’s tourism campaign for the 2020 season was covered exclusively by Marketing Greece.

The “Greek Summer is a state of mind” campaign has been granted rights free for use by the Tourism Ministry and Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) for the promotion of the country and Greek tourism internationally. The campaign is expected to officially launch soon.

Follow GTP Headlines on Google News to keep up to date with all the latest on tourism and travel in Greece.
About the Author
Nikos is Greek-American born in New York, USA, and has lived in Greece for over 30 years. He is the managing editor of Greece's leading monthly travel and tourism guide, the Greek Travel Pages (GTP) since June 2008 and of news site GTP Headlines since its launch in September 2012. Nikos has also served as international press officer for the City of Athens and for the mayor. He has a degree in Mass Media and Communications, specializing in Journalism. Nikos is a native English speaker and speaks Greek fluently.
  1. Hans Krist Reply

    Wij zullen 29 augustus a.s,geboekt op 17 November2019,hopelijk naar Kreta gaan.
    Maar als ik alles zo lees zal dit wel niet doorgaan denk ik.
    Nederlanders zijn niet welkom nog.

  2. Lynne Reply

    I am due to go in july for two weeks for my big birthday but if I have to spend a week in a hotel doing nothing not leaving the room. Then it only leaves a week of actually having some sort of holiday normality. It will be a very expensive two week holiday to possibly come back on top to two weeks isolation in uk adds insult to injury

  3. Peter Mourmouras Reply

    Tourism Minister Theoharis clarified last week that Airports on the EASA COVID-19 List will be able to fly to Greece between June 15th and June 30th BUT will have Mandatory Testing @ airport ( one day in hotel for results, if negative self quarantine for a week; if positive, 14 day quarantine. Beginning July 1st, open to ALL countries with random testing ( maybe with some added restrictions for certain countries ie:South American Countries)
    However…. what good is this if these Airlines are playing games with passengers who already have tickets to fly over this summer but are cancelling flights without email notification. Then these airlines will put in at the last minute flights over but at an extremely high cost??!!
    AND China was on that first list of 29 countries?? Really?! ( hmmm… I guess since China owns about 65% of Piraeus Ports!

  4. Dina Reply

    How a stolen logo and a 40 min video cost 35M euro’s???
    The concept ‘koubaria’ still holds well, especially mids the worst world crisis that peopel barely have money for food in Greece. Shame to all of you there at the ministry of culture, tourism, goverment. Me and my boyfriend we both creatives, he makes films like this, a budget of 20.00 euro max, would be the cost, with authentic logo and text. And this budget concerns buying the drone! And travel from origin country, and paying good money for all creativity to flourish to each one involved. Wtf????

  5. Edward bellamy Reply

    Paid my flight way back in January but fear my Holliday to greece in september seems like it will never happen due to the virus and the government’s attitude to 2 weeks quarantine when I come back and flights not going still all ways next year fingers crossed

  6. Janet Flinn Reply

    My husband and I have been going to Rhodes for 27 years. We are Scottish and are heartbroken. Scotland does not have a terribly high death rate, but as part of the UK, we cannot go.it all feels so unfair. We miss our greek friends at esmeralda’s in Rhodes so much.

  7. Garamont Reply

    This communication is all wrong. Saying “greek summer is a state of mind WHEREVER YOU ARE”, and Greek summer will always be there” is not making people to want to come and visit Greece. If I can enjoy a Greek summer wherever I am, why bother to come to Greece? And if Greek summer will always be there, why come this year, with this awful virus still active? I’m planning to come to Greece in september or beginning of october, but this campaign is useless to me.

  8. Anne Gray Reply

    Unless the Tour Operators and Airlines reign in their greed for the cost of travel I’m afraid that is all Greece will be to many of us….a state of mind. The sudden and unprecedented hike in the cost of flights by airlines & holiday companies is a bit like ‘signing their own death warrant’ – they will kill themselves…and Greece along with it ( from a UK perspective at least) I have been travelling to Greece for nigh on 20 years but maybe that time is coming to a close now – I can pay but WONT !

    • Paul Reply

      Prices will get back to normal soon enough. The flight prices are really high everywhere because they offer much needed flexibility, rebooking advantages, baggage allowance and more sanitation costs. As competition starts up, things will get back to where they were. It’s going to be a short summer. Break that padlock of your wallet and enjoy the fact your able to actually be in Paradise while so many are not as fortunate. We don’t know what the future holds for travel.

  9. Xeen Reply

    Good advertising.
    Sea and beaches are everywhere. Greek hospitality and friendliness are reason why I am going there every year for 20 years. But real Greece. Not uniform hotel/zoo resorts. Local taverns used mostly by locals, small appartments.
    Fantastic people and gorgeous nature. It is Greece.
    3 weeks of Greek summer is a minimum “dose” I need to charge up my batteries for rest of the year.

    • Lesley Reply

      Right on. I have been going for 40:years (unfortunately not every year) I will really miss the people and friendliness. I am just cooking Greek food to try and imagine that I am there. Next year hopefully. At least the Greeks got it right and shut down quickly.

  10. Robert Ferguson Reply

    Greek Summer is a State if Mind. Well put yourself in our shoes and that of our friends, we have been going to Crete for many many years and our friends for over thirty. Because of the Ban on U.K. flights till 15th July we will not get our three week holiday on Crete, we are gutted, we will miss our Greek friends.
    Next year who knows, Jet2 are looking £1800 to fly to Crete next year unless that price reduces by a lot we won’t be having our Holiday.

Leave a Reply to Lesley Cancel reply

*