Olga Kefalogianni, Minister of Tourism, at the 88th Thessaloniki International Fair

The actions and initiatives of the Ministry of Tourism aimed at ensuring a sustainable development model for Greek tourism were mentioned by the Minister of Tourism, Mrs Olga Kefalogianni, speaking at the GNTO stand at the 88th Thessaloniki International Fair.
The Minister referred to the figures for 2024 to date, which reflect the excellent results for the current year, surpassing those of 2023, which is a milestone year for Greek tourism.
In particular, according to data recently published by the Bank of Greece, inbound travel in the period January – June increased by 15.5%, compared to the same period in 2023, and travel receipts also increased by 12%.
“But we are neither complacent nor resting,” Kefalogianni said, noting: “Today we are creating the conditions for a new cycle of development, with a clear vision and goal of sustainability, resilience, and competitiveness of destinations and the tourism product, with a view to maintaining moderation and balance.
The Minister of Tourism presented data from the progress of the programme and projects financed by the Recovery and Resilience Fund totalling 387 million euros. In particular:

• Upgrading of ski resorts: 16 investment projects were submitted for a total amount of around €149 million and 4 requests have already been approved.
• Upgrading of infrastructure in tourist ports: 41 investment projects were submitted by management entities for a total amount of around €182 million, and nine (9) applications for aid have already been approved, while the evaluation is ongoing
• Upgrading of mountain refuges: seven aid applications have been submitted and are currently being evaluated.
• Improvement of accessibility to beaches: One hundred and sixty investment projects were submitted, totalling approximately €31 million.
  In addition, a call has been published for the upgrading of existing and the creation of new spa tourism facilities and the first contract has been signed for the promotion of agri-tourism and gastronomy:
  During September, the contract for the establishment and operation of Destination Management and Promotion Agencies is also expected to be signed, with a view to a more efficient governance of the country’s destinations.
  Finally, the tender for the study on tourism for the elderly, the strategy for the development of health tourism and the development of a strategy for the use of thermal natural resources will be published soon.
  Mrs Olga Kefalogianni referred to the programme for upgrading skills and retraining thousands of tourism workers and long-term unemployed.
  The Minister of Tourism made special mention of the digital transformation of the Hellenic Tourism Organisation, which will provide travel information in a quick and simple way.
  The Minister of Tourism referred to the promotion of a ranking system for hotels, aligned with the standards set by the international organization Hotel Stars Union, an initiative in cooperation with the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, which introduces qualitative criteria for the ranking of tourist accommodation, beyond the technical specifications, and aims to upgrade the quality of the Greek tourist product.
  “All the projects we are implementing”, Mrs Olga Kefalogianni stressed, “in combination with our other actions and the interventions in the institutional framework, will contribute to the qualitative development of the Greek tourism product, to the promotion of the potential of our destinations, to the enhancement of competitiveness and to the creation of new investment opportunities.
  To further promote Greece as a destination of global appeal, distinguished for its quality, authenticity and unique travel experiences.
  For a sustainable development that will ultimately deliver the best for society and the economy.”
  The “Tourism for All” programme was referred to in her intervention by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Elena Rapti:
  “We inaugurated the GNTO pavilion at the 88th Thessaloniki International Fair with good news: we are already preparing, in cooperation with Minister Olga Kefalogianni, the design of the next cycle of the Tourism for All 2025 programme, with new features. Our concern is to further support tourism entrepreneurs, along with our care to make the need for holidays more affordable for more of our fellow citizens throughout the year.”