George Nikitiadis

Deputy Minister,
Culture and Tourism Ministry

Philoxenia 2010 greeting.

The 26th International Tourism Exhibition “Philoxenia” coincides with the renewed efforts of Greece to make tourism the pivotal axis around which the Greek economy will recover from the recession.

Greece can and should invest in its comparative advantages: its cultural heritage dating back to antiquity, its natural beauty -the restoration of which we are already addressing- and its warm Mediterranean weather.

Much needed investments in tourism will come about through the acceleration of ESPA programs, while, at the same time, we will incorporate cultural projects in Prefectural Programs throughout Greece. With proper exploitation, important tourism projects will be implemented.

Our central aim is to develop quality products and services all year round in the whole country and, in parallel, highlight all those distinct features that every place has to offer vis-a-vis alternative tourism as well as Congress and Conference tourism.

It is our strong belief that the tourism sector offers dynamic potential for Greece’s economy to grow and hence creates jobs for the unemployed, opportunities for all types of tourism entrepreneurship and revenue for the government and the country.

In this framework, we invite all professionals, employers and employees in the tourism sector to join us in a collective effort to re-establish our country’s image and offer the best possible services so that we can, united, ameliorate our offered product and cultivate a strong sense of responsibility concerning the reception of visitors.