Ancient Olympia to Get Strategic Tourism Plan

Philippeion in Ancient Olympia. Photo © Konstantinos Ntougkas

A plan that will include innovative actions for the branding and promotion of Ancient Olympia, one of the world’s most popular archaeological sites, as an experiential tourist destination as well as a set of best practices and extroversion events was approved by the city council this week.

The plan outlines Ancient Olympia’s tourism strategy aimed at increasing overnight stays and consumer activity, tapping into cruise travel and showcasing the region to special interest markets with a focus on four key areas: history, nature, adventure and wellness.

This is the first such plan to be implemented by the municipality of Ancient Olympia and covers the following areas:

– targeted promotional activities and special presentations at key international exhibitions 

– the creation of interactive games linking the destination with technology, culture, history, natural wealth, production and consumption

– the launches for the first time of an application enabling virtual FAM trips to maximize the number of visitors beyond on-site familiarization trips 

– employing digital tools for online business meetings and presentations. 

Earlier this month, the culture ministry and Microsoft released the digital “Ancient Olympia: Common Grounds” program offering users anywhere in the world the chance to explore the site from their desktops, mobile phones, or with Microsoft’s HoloLens headsets at the Athens Olympic Museum.

“Digital technology helps open up the possibilities of promoting our tourist product, which is no longer just the site of Ancient Olympia but also what surrounds it: natural beauty, human activities, traditional settlements… We must connect the site with the life of the locals, with our products, with gastronomy and local entrepreneurship,” said Ancient Olympia Mayor George Georgiopoulos.

He went on to add that the priority of the strategic tourism plan is to create the unique identity (brand) of Olympia, making the destination more attractive while enriching the visitor experience.