Special Olympics 2011 Benefits To Greece Discussed

Special Olympics World Summer Games Athens 2011

“The Special Olympics World Summer Games Athens 2011 delivered multiple benefits to Greece that included some 300,000 overnight stays, thousands of sea and air travel arrivals and increased tourism traffic,” president of the Special Olympics Organizing Committee Athens 2011, Joanna Despotopoulou, said last month.

At a press conference held at the Zappeion Hall, Mrs. Despotopoulou said the average time foreign visitors usually spend in Greece increased dramatically this June and July due to the event.

In response to the criticism of the Greek media in regards to the cost of the opening and closing ceremonies of the Special Olympics (7.6 million euros), the president of the Special Olympics Organizing Committee Athens 2011, Joanna Despotopoulou, said over 60 percent of the cost of the Games returned to the Greek state through investments of the organizing committee in the Greek market.

According to Mrs. Despotopoulou, the average stay of Chinese and Japanese visitors in Greece reached up to 12 days.

She also mentioned the benefits the Games left on hotels, restaurants and shops across Greece that welcomed athletes and spectators.

The Special Olympics World Summer Games Athens 2011 were held 25 June-4 July and featured more than 7,000 Special Olympics Athletes from nearly 180 countries around the world.

The Special Olympics World Winter Games PyeongChang 2013 will be held in Korea 26 January-6 February 2013.