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Tourism Minister Invites German Pensioners to Holiday in Greece Off Season
Posted On 20 Jul 2022
Tag: Coronavirus, Covid-19, Covid-19 impact Greece, diplomacy, economy, Ernst Reichel, German travelers Greece, Germany source market Greece, Germany-Greece, Greece economy, Greece investments, Greece tourism ministry, Greece tourism policy, Greece tourism strategy, investments, pandemic, tourism and travel, tourism and travel Greece, Vassilis Kikilias
All the more Germans are hoping this year to visit Greece, which is both a favorite holiday spot and a popular vacation home investment destination, mainly for pensioners, said Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias, who met this week with Germany’s ambassador to Greece, Ernst Reichel.
The minister invited German travelers to visit Greece beyond the summer season, encouraging pensioners to take advantage of the mild winters, lower costs, high level infrastructure and top quality services on offer. Some of the areas he recommended were Crete and the Southern Peloponnese, which also have efficient health services and hospitals.
Kikilias also announced during the meeting that the ministry would be launching a “winter in the Mediterranean” tourism campaign in the coming weeks.
Demonstrating Germans’ soft spot for Greece, earlier this month a study found that the number of property sales to German buyers increased by 300 percent in the first half of the year compared to 2021. Most chose to invest mainly in seaside homes on Crete or the Ionian isles.
Kikilias went on to add that the ministry was in negotiations with German tour operators who are considering competitive package deals for Greece in the winter focusing on the warm weather. He added that the increasing frequency of direct flights and the addition of new destinations by German air carriers had contributed greatly to higher visitor numbers from Germany.
“It would be our great pleasure to host also during the winter months travelers and tourists from all over the world, and of course, from northern Europe and Germany,” said Kikilias, adding that in this direction the ministry was talking with major tour operators, airlines, local government and the private sector “so as to provide the best possible services to our guests… and to generate the maximum possible income for the country”.
During their meeting, Reichel confirmed a robust desire by Germans to visit Greece, which he said is reflected in booking and arrival figures.
“There is a strong interest by German tourists in Greece. And just as I, personally, enjoy my stay here a lot, I am sure that my fellow citizens will feel the same,” said Reichel.
That’s insanity. This will drive upward the prices of the housing and real estate, make life for us more expensive, and the land will be acquired by foreigners. This is a one way street, once the land is sold out, it doesn’t belong to you anymore.