Greece And Germany Team Up On A Local Level

Greek-German cooperation in the fields of tourism and local government were discussed on Wednesday 5 September among Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni and Hans-Joachim Fuchtel, Germany’s federal deputy labor minister. Mr. Fuchtel has been appointed by Chancellor Angela Merkel as a special envoy to promote Greek-German cooperation on a local administration level.

During the meeting, the tourism minister noted Greece’s tourism development potential on a local level through synergies that could display the comparative advantages of each area.

She focused on Greece’s tourism diversity that forms an individual tourism product in each region based on the historical, cultural and culinary traditions. “These elements form the overall tourism product of the country that the government plans to upgrade and strengthen,” she said.

It was mentioned that a German tourist satisfaction survey on Greece was in process by a German university specialized in tourism in cooperation with the Advanced School of Tourism Professions on Rodos and the University of the Aegean.

The survey will be used as a “tool” for the improvement of the Greek tourism product.

“This will give (Greek) local authorities evidence of new alternative tourism products with long-term growth potential,” Mr. Fuchtel told the Greek press. Reference was also made in regards to work programs in Germany for Greek tourism workers during the winter months and the extension of the Greek tourism season via additional flights from Germany.

Mr. Fuchtel said the German side would provide specialized knowledge in tourism and cooperate with local authorities to upgrade the tourism product. He especially emphasized on cultural, health, gastronomy and agricultural tourism and the development opportunities that exist.