GNTO Presents New Portal

The president of the GNTO, Yiannis Kofinis, spoke of the advantages of Greece’s dynamic entry into the “Internet highway” and referred to a “powerful tool for tour operators.”

The Greek National Tourism Organization recently presented its new portal www.myGNTO.gr through which it aspires to convert electronic visits into actual tourist arrivals to Greece.

Tourism Minister Kostas Markopoulos underlined that until now Greece has not developed the necessary field of online services.

“With this new portal the state can reduce its operational costs, facilitate businesses and approach the final consumer,” he said.

Emmanuel Alexandrakis, special secretary of the tourism ministry, announced that businesses that wish to implement digital infrastructure (wireless Internet or the development of online booking websites), would be supported financially.

The new EU-financed portal www.myGNTO.gr, which currently is operating on a pilot version, is said to allow online users to organize their vacation by making electronic bookings of hotels, airline tickets, etc.

HATTA expressed its serious concern after the presentation of the GNTO’s new web portal.

At the presentation the ministry called for the support of tourism businesses in order for the advantages of the portal to unfold in full extent.

Meanwhile, the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourism Agencies (HATTA) expressed its serious concern after the presentation of the GNTO’s new web portal.

“The GNTO obviously has disclaimed its institutional role for the international promotion of Greece to tourism markets and has created an online platform for the purpose of trade, which interferes in the freedom of the market,” the association said in a statement.

HATTA called the GNTO to hold a constructive dialogue in order for the new portal to obtain the actual role Greek tourism really needs.