Nikos Christodoulakis

Development Minister

Philoxenia 2000 greeting.

Philoxenia this year takes place within a period characterized by the internationalization of markets, the increase in travel movement, and the startling developments in technology. All this leads to the intensification of competition among tourism enterprises, which in turn hastens their efforts to hold on to and improve upon their positions in the tourism sector.

Market globalization leads to the creation of common economies while the rapid developments in technology contributes to a drastic reduction in transport and communication costs, a fact that favors the movement of ever larger numbers of travelers.

The new conditions that prevail within the tourism sector, on a global level, demands a closer cooperation among hosting countries as well as among the other countries of tourists’ origin.

In the efforts to develop Greek tourism, the contribution of the tourism trade press is important. Its ‘infiltration’ and many-sided analysis of its themes help and strengthen the tourism sector. I believe the trade press will continue to offer its services during this period of intense tourism development activities.