Helena Kountoura, Greece’s Alternate Minister for Tourism
Greece’s Tourism comprises the second most important pillar of the country’s economy after shipping and will continue for the foreseeable future.
Herebelow the Alternate Minister Helena Kountoura outlines in the most pragmatic and emphatic way the six basic pillars of a national strategy for furthering Tourism for the benefit of all:
“We are untangling tourism investment plans that have been stagnating for some time, minimizing bureaucratic procedures that hinder entrepreneurship in the tourism sector, and promptly processing new tourism development plans. We are also working even harder to make sure tourism businesses in Greece make the most of European funds with the aim of supporting entrepreneurship and investments in the tourism industry.
As part of our national strategy we have six basic pillars.
- Extend the tourism season by taking solid steps. Major tour operators from around the world have already this year extended their holiday programmes from 180 to 215 days. Our aim is tourism twelve months a year and to achieve this we need everyone’s cooperation.
- Promote special forms of tourism which in one hand can decisively contribute to further extending the tourism season and on the other hand benefit lesser known areas of our country that have not yet attracted worldwide interest and demand from abroad.
- Penetrate new markets, such as China, Brazil, Canada, Korea, and the Middle East.
- Simplify tourism legislation. In previous years there were some changes in organisational areas and structures that left behind operational and competences gaps, that our policies are now aiming to overcome. We have already put into place a strategic planning that will include legislative initiatives that will not only clearly clarify the roles and competences of each tourism body but also fill in the legislative gaps in all tourism policy sectors.
- Work closely with the Regions, local authorities and all other tourism associations with the aim of putting together and implementing an integrated tourism plan and promotional strategy both domestically and overseas, promoting Greece as one single tourism brand.
- It is our main priority to attract investments in the tourism industry.
Quality, Competitiveness, Sustainability and Tourism Development.
This is the tourism development model we want to promote.”
