Fanny Palli-Petralia

Minister of Tourism

Philoxenia 2006 greeting.

Every country’s economic development is supported by its dynamic sectors, its competitive advantages, as well as the model it has chosen to face the challenges of the future.

For Greece, tourism represents one of the major pillars of our economy, which can lead to the club of the Developed countries. It can become the steam engine that drives the development and prosperity of our citizens and our country.

This vision is served by our efforts to create a new wave of tourism development in Greece. We are advancing and carrying out a new strategy, one that epitomizes modernization and simplification of the regulatory and legal framework, in combination with the propagation of investments in all forms of tourism. Within the above strategy, we are promoting the differentiation of the tourism product and the extension of the tourism period throughout the year, as well as the improvement of the quality of services provided based on the highest international standards. At the same time, we are systematically organizing a global, uninterrupted campaign to promote Greek tourism, we are reinforcing our presence in emerging promising tourism markets and we strengthen our position in our traditional markets.

For Greece, tourism represents one of the major pillars of our economy, which can lead to the club of the Developed countries.

We are taking quick steps forward, with confidence and determination. We are opening a new chapter for Greek tourism that will be focused on a balanced regional development. The possibilities for Greek tourism development are enormous as our “tourism reserves” are among the highest in the world: We are just starting to take advantage of them. We are working with a vision, a clear plan, and under a strict schedule and guidelines, along with all the different tourism stakeholders in order to maximize our country’s potential and to excel as one of the most popular destinations worldwide.

For this significant and particularly complex undertaking for our country’s economy, we are ready to listen and explore every useful proposal, every new idea.

I am certain that Philoxenia 2006 will be a significant forum for dialogue and exchanging of views, on the future of tourism, the future of our economy, the future of Greece.