Nine GNTO Offices Abroad Expected To Close

The Culture and Tourism Ministry is expected to soon announce which of the 28 offices and branches it operates abroad will close, the Greek press said recently.

The selection of which offices abroad to close will follow an in-depth study that was delivered recently to Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos and determines what exactly each office has produced for Greek tourism.

According to press reports, nine GNTO offices abroad will be shut.

On their part, GNTO staff members from the offices abroad said no official announcement had been made on the closure of nine offices abroad.

In an “open letter” circulated via social media, the staff demanded for the results of the in-depth study to be made public.

Meanwhile, Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister George Nikitiadis recently held a meeting with GNTO directors from abroad at the organization’s office in Athens and requested they enhance efforts to maximize the benefits to tourism and the economy.

The meeting followed an Information and Communications General Secretariat event held in the presence of Prime Minister George Papandreou and Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Geroulanos for the GNTO directors abroad to coordinate actions to improve the country’s image abroad.