Dimitrios Mantousis

Dimitrios Mantousis President, Macedonia-Thrace Travel Agencies Association

President,
Macedonia-Thrace Travel Agencies Association

PHILOXENIA 2010 greeting.

This year’s 26th International Tourism Exhibition Philoxenia takes place in the midst of a prolonged economic crisis and a steep downfall in tourism figures.

Despite the negative events that marked the development of tourism in our country, we realized that the Greek tourism product can withstand the crisis and, despite the revenue decline, close on the same levels as last year.

However, we are expecting the political leadership’s actions for the new 2011 season with great interest as they have predicted an increase in arrivals and overnights.

Strategic planning, however, is required to attract new airlines to regional airports through an incentives scheme (reducing fees, taxes) while the Civil Aviation Authority must see to create a marketing service.

The total lifting of the cabotage law is also required to attract cruise ship companies and for the port facilities at Piraeus and Thessaloniki to become hubs of embarkation and disembarkation of passengers, considering that Greece is the first choice in this sector.

Furthermore, it is necessary to find a solution for the facilitation of visa procedures for residents of countries who are interested in visiting Greece (Russian Republics, China).

With this wish we welcome the tourism professionals to the hospitable city of Thessaloniki, our beautiful Macedonia!