Honored guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
we would cordially like to thank you for inviting us to the HACC- ICC Hellas Digital Forum.
The main mission of the Ministry of Tourism of the Hellenic Republic is the formulation of the tourism strategy and policy and the executive planning of the tourism development of Greece within the governmental policy framework. Our vision leads to the preparation of short and long-term programs to enhance the Greek tourism ecosystem with regards to its competitiveness, to support investments, promote tourism education and training and coordinated communications to promote the Country’s image abroad.
Our Tourism Strategy promotes Greece as a year-round attractive destination that offers unique, authentic, and unlimited travel experiences and aims to create a new model of sustainable high-quality tourism, through the diversification of the tourism product. All initiatives are focused on increasing Greece’s international travel exposure, mainly through the extension of the tourism period, the enhancement of the tourism product and the improvement of competitiveness, according to a sustainable tourism development model.
Our key priority is the strengthening of the authenticity and the resilience of tourism as well as the upgrade of tourism establishments, by providing high-quality services with low environmental footprint.
Within the framework of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Ministry of Tourism of the Hellenic Republic runs the project 16931 “Tourism Development”, which focuses on the diversification of the tourism product through thematic product development and special interest tourism. Mountain Tourism, Health & Wellness, Agrotourism and Gastronomy and most importantly the Upgrade of the Tourist Ports are some of the main subprojects.
As far as the Greek Tourism Marketing Plan 2023-2024 is concerned our key goals are:
To consolidate Greece as a top-of-mind tourist destination, through the further development of the country’s unique tourist identity (brand identity)
To strengthen the reputation of Greece as a destination that offers unique and multi-thematic experiences and simultaneously as a health-safe destination
To mitigate seasonality through product differentiation, promoting special and alternative forms of tourism with emphasis on the geomorphological superiority of the country and the sustainable management of natural and cultural resources
Strengthen traditional inbound tourism markets and develop new ones, especially following the strategic prioritization of the Ministry of Tourism in accordance with the Annual Action Plan 2023
Balance geographical promotion of the Greek tourism product aiming at the geographical dispersion of visitors
In particular,
to expand the use of the digital tools of VisitGreece, platform and application
the development of domestic tourism, especially during autumn and winter
To offer tailor-made online and offline marketing communications, with focus on reaching critical audiences (opinion leaders) as a top marketing target segment
To promote city breaks, rural tourism (mountainous), wellness, gastronomic, cultural, wedding, recreation, luxury, MICE to mention a few of them.
Our Quantitative Goals for 2023 include the following:
10% increase with: inbound flows receipts, and spending per visitor for 2023 VS 2022, a year of outstanding results for Greek Tourism.
With regards to our Targeted market segments, our target groups include travelers seeking adventure- nature, repeaters, FITs & GITs, luxury travelers, expatriates, LGBTQ+ and digital nomads.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The strategic orientation of all projects related to diversified and inclusive tourism in Greece is to upgrade the national tourism product and achieve smart specialization at regional level, by promoting regulatory reforms, mobilizing private investments, and developing lasting public-private synergies.
Our aim is to meet the rising demand
- authentic experiences that offer stronger engagement with local communities, their culture and products,
- in all stages of the travel experience while capitalizing on the opportunities for the economic, social and environmental revitalization of destinations through tourism.
We wish to make Greece a resilient, accessible, and inclusive tourism destination for everyone that offers high quality services 365 days a year.
It is clear than only through collective action, solidarity and international cooperation will we be able to transform tourism and make it increasingly sustainable.
Therefore, our promotional activities also include co-advertising with tour operators, airlines and commercial companies, online and offline promotion.
It is important to focus on all the things that make us optimistic about a better future for our tourism industry. Provided, however, that we have done our best in the present.
Thank you for your attention.
