New Tourism & Property Show Promotes Tourism Homes

Tourism Development Minister Fanni Palli-Petralia’s opening speech at the first Tourism and Property Show held at the former Athens Airport.

Greece’s first Tourism and Property Show opened its doors last month for four days. The show aimed to promote Greek tourism properties by bringing together public and private businesses and investors and real estate professionals in the wider SE European area. Tourism Minister Fanni Palli-Petralia opened the show, organized by Real Travel, the first media group to become active in tourist development and real estate sectors in Greece.

In her opening speech Mrs Petralia referred to the new laws concerning therapeutic tourism and the upcoming tourism zoning plan, which is expected to make it easier for companies to create tourism homes. These homes would be sold to tourists who are interested in having a long-term relationship with Greece.

Mrs Petralia claimed the new legislation would provide the necessary incentive to businesses so as to invest in the development of property in accordance with this new type of tourism. She also said that “Greece will not repeat the mistakes made by other countries in their development of tourism accommodation and instead retain the utmost respect for the protection of the environment.”

According to Afroditi Kalomari, communications manager of Real Travel, the exhibition was a great success. There were 117 exhibitors in total with 12 foreign stands and 4,500 people attended, despite bad weather. Both the organizers and the exhibitors were satisfied with the outcome. The show was attended by representatives from all sectors of tourism and development and there was immediate interest in the properties exhibited.

There were, according to Mrs Kalomari, “a large amount of on-the-spot sales and investment agreements,” therefore, she said, the show achieved its goal, which was to introduce investors to the potential of the Greek tourism property market.