GREEK NEWS AGENDA: About Tourism

Friday, May 25, 2012

About Tourism

Greece is offering tourists a unique travel experience, with its beautiful land and rich cultural heritage, said interim Culture and Tourism minister Tatiana Karapanagioti, following a meeting with Prime Minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos, on May 22. After noting the legendary Greek hospitality, which has embraced millions of visitors over the years, the minister assured that everyone in the tourism industry has expressed a strong commitment to ensuring that the Greek holiday experience is as rich and rewarding as it has always been.

Prime Minister Pikrammenos also met with Dr. Andreas Andreadis, President of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) and discussed the effects of Greece’s economic crisis on tourism. The SETE president assured the PM that the quality of holidays in Greece is not affected by the economic upheaval in any way, highlighting that the country remains one of the most desired destinations worldwide and this summer will be "business as usual."

Tourist Bookings on the Rise

Demand for tourist bookings in Greece has been rising in the second half of May, according to the British "Daily Telegraph", citing data from the website Travelzoo, which publishes deals from more than 2,000 agents and operators. Travelzoo has said that bookings for all-inclusive holidays to Greece had risen by nearly a third during the past two weeks, compared with the previous fortnight.

"It is a positive sign for the tourism industry that bookings to Greece are up significantly, in spite of widespread speculation about the Greek economy and stability in the eurozone," said Stephen Dunk, Europe managing director of Travelzoo.