Greece’s Tourism Organization Joins Forces with Athens Chamber of Commerce

Extending the tourism season, increasing the sector’s added value, ensuring equal and fair distribution of tourism activity and increasing tourist spending and overnight stays are among the joint actions agreed to this week by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI).

The ACCI and GNTO signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) during an ACCI board of directors meeting attended by Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias and GNTO Secretary General Dimitris Fragakis.

“In one more turbulent period, Greece not only maintains, but also strengthens the reputation it established during the pandemic. The reputation of a modern and secure European country. I believe the dynamics that developed in the previous years regarding arrivals, will be difficult to reverse, despite the turmoil,” said ACCI President Ioannis Bratakos.

The head of ACCI went on to stress the importance of the Greek tourism sector as a driving force of the economy and creating thousands of jobs,  particularly in challenging times, demonstrating its resilience to market shocks.

“Coordination, cooperation and smart partnerships between all parties involved are key: from government and local administration to businesses and society,” said Bratakos referring to the MoC.

“Our goal is through substantial joint actions to add value to business, tourism and to the national economy,” he added.

Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias, ACCI President Ioannis Bratakos and GNTO Secretary General Dimitris Fragakis

“If we’ve gained anything in the last two years of the pandemic, it is unity and cooperation. This is a great legacy for Greek tourism. We all worked together under extremely adverse conditions and with constructive cooperation we achieved and brought good results in 2020 and 2021,” said Fragakis. “Today, we move forward and team up with the business community.”

On his part, Kikilias reiterated that tourism was one of the country’s main business activities and as such a key revenue generator that not only supports Greek families but can also play a crucial role in Greece’s post-Covid-19 recovery.

“We support the hotel industry, but also the hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens who are involved in trade, especially small and medium-sized businesses, the various services that are interconnected with the tourism product,” he said.