Greece is preparing its next tourism campaign with a focus on sustainability, green entrepreneurship, environmental protection and blue economy.
After experiencing record lows in tourism in 2020 and 2021 as a result of COVID-19 restrictions, Greece has seen a huge increase in tourism this year, following the lifting of restrictions.
Greek Tourism Minister, Vassilis Kikilias, told the Circle the Med Forum 2022 that travelers are becoming increasingly aware of sustainable tourism, and that Greece is taking important steps in this direction.
“Travelers are leading the way, demanding less or zero carbon dioxide emissions,” Kikilias said.
“Along with travel safety, this issue will be a top priority for visitors from all over the world in the current tourist season, as well as in the next ones.”
According to Dimitris Fragakis, the Secretary-General of the GNTO (Greek National Tourism Organisation), Greece’s new sustainable goals are not only limited to the environment or preserving natural resources.
The challenge Greece is trying to overcome is to diffuse the current tourism product and to further increase the revenue in more parts of the country.
From the four Greek regions that are currently benefiting from tourism, the goal is to create corresponding conditions for all 13 regions of the country to reap these benefits.
This will mean more growth and job opportunities for young people.
The government is urging tourists to travel off-path, and to visit different parts of Greece, rather than the usual tourist hotspots.
As Fragakis states, “it is not just sun and beach, and it’s not only the islands.”
Source: ekathimerini, traveloffpath
