Greek Community of Melbourne President, Bill Papastergiadis, has voiced strong concerns over the Greek Government’s repeated delays in establishing the long-promised Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO/EOT) office in Australia.
Speaking after a meeting this week with Ms Vasiliki Koutsoukou, Secretary General for Tourism Policy at the Ministry of Tourism, Mr Papastergiadis said the lack of progress, despite multiple announcements and written assurances, is creating frustration within the community and risks undermining goodwill towards the Greek Government.
Mr Papastergiadis revealed that the GCM has sent “well over five letters” to officials in Athens since early 2025, none of which have been answered. He also noted that numerous calls from Greek Australian media, including The Greek Herald, have gone unanswered.
“There is recent correspondence as of March 2025 from Mr Fiorentinos, Secretary General of the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO), confirming the office would open at the Greek Community of Melbourne, as well as a number of public announcements by ministers to that effect. Unfortunately, no explanation was provided as to why the office is not being set up at the Greek Community of Melbourne,” Mr Papastergiadis said.
The GCM has consistently reaffirmed its offer of prime CBD office space at the Greek Centre on Lonsdale Street – free of charge for two years – together with support for staffing and logistics. Members of the community argue this location is ideal as it is accessible, symbolic, and embedded in Melbourne’s thriving cultural hub.
Instead, The Greek Herald now understands the Ministry may be considering housing the office at the Consulate General of Greece, a location outside the CBD and far less visible to the public. Members of the diaspora warn such a move would risk defeating the very purpose of establishing the office.
When asked about the reasons for the delay, the Ministry advised there were various administrative issues and that responsibility for resolving the matter now rests with Greece’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. With this in mind, attention turns to Deputy Foreign Minister Loverdos’ upcoming visit to Australia, where the issue is expected to feature prominently on the agenda.
Mr Papastergiadis made clear that if the Greek Government is facing administrative hurdles, the Greek Community of Melbourne remains ready to assist. “If they were having difficulties with visas or other issues, it would have been appropriate to communicate with us. Our correspondence has gone unanswered for over four months,” he said.
The timeline underscores the diaspora’s frustration. Announced in 2023, the office was reconfirmed by multiple ministers through 2024 and early 2025. Yet despite these repeated commitments, the project remains stalled.
Community members warn that ongoing delays not only risk undermining goodwill but also raise serious questions about the Greek Government’s ability and willingness to deliver on its promises to one of the largest and most active diasporas in the world.
