Finally, New Offices for Hellenic Tourism Organization

The Archbishop of Athens and All Greece Christodoulos was on hand to bless the new Hellenic Tourism Organization offices.

After numerous decades at its offices in downtown Athens on Amerikis Street, the 52-year-old Hellenic Tourism Organization last month moved to bright, new, modern quarters. It now takes up all seven floors of space within a modern office building on Tshoha Street not far from the American Embassy.

EOT’s modern office building on Tshoha Street not far from the American Embassy.

At the official opening ceremony of the marble and glass structure, Development Minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos told guests that the new quarters would create a base for new methods, new initiatives and new tourism promotional activities.

He said international tourism has now stepped into a more positive phase and we have left behind the negative past that has cost us all dearly the past months.

What we need now, he said, is a dynamic, modern tourism policy that would produce a modern tourism product and one that would act as a base for our economy. “The key for the modernization of Greek tourism,” he said, “is the quality development of tourism services from lodging units through the ‘key’ and ‘star’ (category systems).”

The minister added that the tourism economic policy is tightly linked with our country’s regional development, and that tourism, which makes up about 15% of our country’s gross domestic product, is a major factor in regional employment opportunities throughout Greece.

Also on hand for the inauguration was Jose Antonio Ferreiro, chief executive officer of the World Tourism Organization‘s business council. He stressed Greece’s strong tourism possibilities thanks to the country’s rich history and culture, “not to mention its renowned hospitality.”