Greece Eyes New Tourist Markets, Says Minister at Delphi Forum

Opening up to new markets, diversifying tourist offerings and sustainable development are the top priorities for Greece, Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said this week during the opening of the 10th Delphi Economic Forum.

In a conversation with Tyler Brûlé, Editorial Director of Monocle, Kefalogianni said increasing Greece’s market share in the US West Coast and opening up to new markets such as India, South Korea, China, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia were key priorities.

“Our strategy is focused on diversification both geographically and in terms of experiences,” said the minister. She also stressed the importance of introducing travelers from traditional source markets such as the UK, Germany, France, and Italy, to lesser-known destinations and special interest tourism options.

Minister Kefalogianni highlighted the record-breaking performance of the U.S. market last year, largely fueled by a surge in direct flights from the East Coast, and pointed to ongoing efforts to extend the tourist season and direct tourist flows to more destinations across the country.

Additionally, she referred to the ongoing upgrade of hotel infrastructure in Greece, which has led to an impressive increase in 5-star hotels and significant tourism investments which have elevated the quality of the country’s tourism offerings.

Finally, the minister referred to the Kasteli Airport on Crete as a cornerstone project. The new facility, which will replace Heraklion’s Nikos Kazantzakis Airport, currently Greece’s second-busiest, as well as accompanying infrastructure upgrades are expected to transform travel experience visitors to the Greek island.

Source: Tovima.com