Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni took part in a teleconference organized by the Greek-American Chamber of Commerce to utilize promotional approaches to make Greece an even more appealing destination to a larger group percentage of Americans.
The initiative confirmed the positive climate as it was reflected in the recent trip of the Minister of Tourism to the USA, but also to determine the initiatives that will lead to further improvement of the Greece-USA relationship in the tourism sector.
The Greek Minister noted that there is now a strategic plan to make Greece a “top of mind” destination for North American citizens (a measure of how high brands rank in the consciousness of consumers) as the dynamics of this specific market are particularly important. She emphasized the opening of the Greek tourism market to the western coast regions of the USA, expanding Greece’s reach from the eastern coast.
Kefalogianni pointed out that Greece had to invest more in cultural tourism and mild forms of tourism, such as agritourism and gastronomic tourism, showcasing and proposing a new perspective of Greece, beyond the typical sun and the sea, which will benefit the local communities and sustainability.
During the teleconference, which also included the General Secretary of EOT, Dimitris Fragakis, the General Director of the Greek-American Chamber of Commerce, Elias Spirtounias, the President of the Tourism Committee of the Chamber, Mr. Tim Ananiadis, the need for reskilling and upskilling of professionals and staff in the hospitality industry, as well as accelerating investments in hotel units was also broached.
The General Secretary of EOT, Dimitris Fragakis, stressed that the time is right to intensify Greece’s presence in the North American markets and added that the Ministry of Tourism and EOT are open to proposals and collaborations.
Both Olga Kefalogianni and the members of the Tourism Committee emphasized the positive development that has taken place with the increase of direct flights from the USA to Athens, but also the maturation of the discussion for flights from the USA to Thessaloniki.
Source: tovima.com
Latest News
AIA: Passenger Traffic Up by 16.3% in April
Passenger traffic at the Athens International Airport (AIA) amounted to 2.49 million during April 2024
Fitch Solutions: Greece Set to Welcome 40 Million Tourists Annually by 2028
However, Fitch Solutions highlights concerns about overtourism, cautioning that it could strain Greece's capacity to deliver quality services, potentially leading to neglect of popular destinations
ELSTAT: Q1 Exports Down 11% – Trade Deficit Up 8.7%
Amid international uncertainty and armed conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine in 2023, Greek exports continued to decline, ending the year with an 8.5% drop
The Worst European Cities for Pickpocketing – Where is Athens?
The data was presented by London-based travel insurance company Quotezone
Greek Buyers Drive Vacation Home Market Resurgence
George Gavriilidis, CEO of the real estate consultancy Elxis highlights that Greek buyers are increasingly drawn to emerging locales.
INSETE: Air Data Tracker Sees Bookings up 8.4%
Of the 27,025,200 seats booked from March to October 2024, 80% have been confirmed
Titan Group Announces IPO For Its North American Subsidiary
Titan Group subsidiary Titan American will be listed in a New York stock exchange, with the details pending
McDonald’s in Greece Breaks New Records, Plans New Outlets
McDonald’s has finally won over consumers in Greece, reporting record gains and planning more outlets.
Vacant Properties in Greece Posing Risk of Forest Fires
Homeowners are calling on municipal authorities to clear away empty properties which pose a serious threat of fire in the summer
New ‘Jobmatch’ App to Link Greek Tourism Businesses with Jobseekers
New digital app ‘Jobmatch’ aims to help Greece’s tourism and hospitality sector fill hundreds of empty posts ahead of the tourism season