ABTA 2000

Yiannis Stefanides,

President of the Hellenic

Tourism Organization

Greece and Great Britain are linked by a binding friendship and by cooperation. The relationship between the two countries, particularly regarding the tourism sector, is even stronger when we consider that about 2.5 million British tourists visit our country each year.

For these reasons, I warmly salute the Association of British Travel Agencies on the occasion of their annual conference on the island of Kos.

For us, this event is especially important because our friends and business associates in the tourism sector of the UK selected this island for the conference. Kos is the island of Hippocrates, the island of knowledge and of wisdom. This is fitting since tourism is wisdom, knowledge and a need of life.

I wish you every success in your ABTA conference endeavors. And I wish a pleasant stay. We hope the results of your conference will be important for progress, the products offered to the people who travel, and in efforts to improve tourism services.

Panos Argyros,

Director of the Hellenic

Tourism Organization Office

for the UK and Ireland

After almost 25 years, the Association of British Travel Agencies returns to hold its annual conference in Greece. I am delighted to welcome delegates to this very special event.

It is very special since it’s tied to the association’s 50th anniversary celebrations this year. And very special because these same delegates helped Britain to become the number one market this year for Greece’s tourism industry. By the close of 2000, we expect to welcome a total of 2.6 million visitors from Great Britain.

I hope and I wish, from the bottom of my heart, that all delegates return home bearing special gifts from Greece and the island of Kos, the birthplace of Hippocrates, the father of medicine: Another healthy 50 years of ABTA, pleasant memories and satisfaction that Greece fulfilled all expectations.