Yiorgos Tsakiris

President,
Hellenic Chamber of Hotels

Philoxenia 2010 greeting.

Greece is a distinguished international tourism destination that -despite the country’s extremely difficult financial situation- has a major tourist product to show that still maintains quantitative characteristics and constantly upgrades the quality of its services:

• accommodation and tourist support facilities have been highly modernized, with state aid programs used as their main tools;
• remarkable natural and cultural resources are protected and at the same time promoted, adding to our tourist product;
• new themed products enrich the “sun and sea” offer, which is our main tourism offer, and attracts specific customers with specific demands and interests.

There is no doubt that during the past years, the hotel industry has strengthened Greece’s competitiveness by investing in the quality of tourism facilities and improved services.

This productive effort is the most important weapon the country has today to meet new needs and priorities set by the financial crisis.

This past year was difficult for Greek tourism, as the effects of the economic recession were apparent.

In regards to the upcoming tourist season we are hopeful of a more satisfactory performance although predictions are no longer easy to make.

We rely on our insistence to offer quality at competitive prices while exercising a responsible business policy of social responsibility.

For this reason there is no place neither for pessimism nor to underrate the possibility for losses.

We all need to move according to a joint concept and coordinate our actions to common goals for the benefit of the most dynamic sector of our national economy.