Ekaterinari Asimina Xirotiri

Responsible for Tourism,
Coalition of the Left Movements and Ecology MP

Philoxenia 2003 greeting.

For several years Greece’s tourism policy has focused on improving and differentiating the tourism offer in order to attract the quality traveler. According to announcements, the principle of viable development through the protection and promotion of the natural and cultural resources of our country rules.

Many government measures are aimed in this direction, and a big part of the Third Community Support Framework, at least with programs, and as is stressed by many sides, it consists of the only avenue for Greek tourism to follow. However, the crucial issue is not the official setting of aims but the way to achieve them and not to deviate from the agreed aims in practice or to allow interventions that serve individual cases or interests. We believe that in every case we must protect and respect the quality of the natural and human environment, which are the main tourism attractions of our country, as well as the ‘potential’ of infrastructure in tourism areas. In the same vein, we also support the development of rural tourism, mild forms of tourism, and alternate tourism.

In parliament we systematically examine and criticize policies regarding tourism, environment and land planning. As all Greeks we wish our country to remain an important tourism destination. One that offers visitors and domestic consumers improved services and one that makes the best use of our wonderful natural and cultural environment. Only in this way does Greek tourism and its activities stand a chance of surviving the tough competition within the Mediterranean Basin, and especially the Eastern Mediterranean where the competitive countries outside the EU appear with much more competitive prices.