By Ilias Karagiannis
Pressure on Greece’s Ministry of Tourism to reopen the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) Office in Melbourne is intensifying, as on Friday, October 10, PASOK–Movement for Change MP for Lasithi, Katerina Spyridaki, submitted a relevant question to Parliament.
This marks the second parliamentary intervention within a month, following a similar question tabled in early September by SYRIZA–PS MP Kalliopi Vetta, demonstrating the growing political pressure surrounding the issue.
In her question to the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, Ms Spyridaki referred to the “unjustified delay” in the operation of the GNTO Office in Melbourne, despite repeated government commitments and the Greek Community of Melbourne’s offer of a free, fully equipped space.
“The letter from the President of the GCM, Bill Papastergiadis, to the Ministry of Tourism emphasises that the continuing inaction has not only caused financial losses for the Community itself, but also deepened the diaspora’s concern over the credibility of the Greek State,” Ms Spyridaki said.
“He further notes that the issue has become front-page news across all major Greek Australian media, while criticism of the Greek government has become particularly sharp.”
The PASOK MP stressed that this inaction has caused frustration within the diaspora and damaged the credibility of the Greek State.
“Greek Australians express a sense of devaluation and abandonment. They underline that Greece treats them as ‘given’ tourists, assuming they will continue to travel and spend, without the State showing tangible respect or support. Others highlight that Greek bureaucracy and dysfunction discourage them even in basic matters such as the issuance of passports,” she said.
“The criticism can be summarised as a feeling that, while Greek citizens display filotimo and hospitality, the official Greek State presents the opposite face: indifference, inefficiency, and an underestimation of the diaspora’s value. All of the above create an image that, unfortunately, offends both our country and global Hellenism.”
She also pointed out that the Australian market is one of the most valuable for Greek tourism, with 289,000 Australians travelling to Greece in 2023 and spending over 460 million euros. Nevertheless, Greece still lacks an official tourism presence in Melbourne – the city with the largest Greek diaspora in the world.
Ms Spyridaki concluded by addressing five questions to the Ministry of Tourism:
- What is the specific timeline for the commencement of operations of the GNTO Office in Melbourne?
- What are the reasons which, despite repeated commitments, have led to this long and unjustified delay?
- Has the process of selecting a Director or Office Head been completed, and if not, at what stage does it currently stand?
- What measures does the Ministry intend to take to restore the confidence of the Greek Australian community, to utilise Melbourne’s strategic importance, and to strengthen the promotion of Greek tourism in a market with high per-capita expenditure?
- When will official and specific responses be provided to the requests of the Greek Community of Melbourne?
Political interventions and clarifications
The new question adds to that of Ms Vetta in early September, which has still not been answered. In an interview with The Greek Herald, Ms Vetta pledged that she would also submit a topical question so that a representative of the Ministry would be obliged to respond.
“I will continue to fight until there are clear answers from the competent minister,” she stated.
At the same time, during a recent press conference in Sydney, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Greeks Abroad Ioannis Loverdos sought to put an end to confusion regarding which ministry holds responsibility for the office’s operation.
Loverdos clarified that the GNTO Office will ultimately operate within the Consulate General of Greece in Melbourne, under the supervision of the GNTO, and not within the premises of the Greek Community, as was initially proposed.
As he explained, this decision was made “for operational reasons,” as it concerns a state, and not a community, service that will function in cooperation with the Consulate.
His statements confirm that responsibility remains with the Ministry of Tourism, although the issue continues to cause uncertainty and concern within the diaspora, which since 2023 has been awaiting the official presence of the Greek tourism office in Melbourne.
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