Tourism Minister Meets Athens Mayor

Tourism Development Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos met Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis recently to discuss joint action and cooperation between the tourism development ministry and the City of Athens. Mr. Kaklamanis asserted, “Municipal administration considers the city’s economic development to be a key priority and since this development concerns mainly the city’s tourism identity it is imperative that our actions are coordinated.”

The mayor of Athens and the tourism development minister agreed to unite forces with regard to MICE and city break tourism, and their cooperation includes the management and maintenance of Lycabettus Hill. On this topic, Mr. Kaklamanis asserted Lycabettus would “Require maintenance but not regeneration in a year’s time, and it is on this issue that the tourism development ministry and the City of Athens must collaborate.”

Aris Spiliotopoulos declared the meeting as one of substance and appeared optimistic. He asserted, “The tourism development ministry has placed special emphasis on Athens in a bid to formulate its tourism product, that is, as a conference or a city break destination.” He added, “This is why I requested separate televised and printed advertisement so that we could promote Athens as a unique tourist destination worldwide.”

According to the tourism development minister, cooperation has existed from the onset as the ministry sought cooperation from the municipality with regard to cleanliness and the aesthetic renewal of Athens. The City of Athens also called on the ministry to support its promotional activities.

The tourism development minister explained the time is ripe for collaboration between the municipality and the ministry as Athens has its own tourism board and is ready to contribute to promotional efforts. Mr. Spiliotopoulos said: “Through our meeting we confirmed that scope exists for joint initiatives to further enhance Athens’ tourism and cultural development.”