Kostas Tsovilis, President Hellenic Association of Airline Representatives (SAAE)

Philoxenia 2012 greeting.

Despite initial predictions, Greek tourism this year weathered the storm and kept strong. However, problems did not disappear.

As we all know, travel by air is the main gateway to our country and we must support and be rational to the operation of air travel to maintain existing carriers and attract more air connections throughout Greek airports. The image of Greece’s regional airports can be improved only if the right resources are allocated to the right tasks.

I must mention the necessity of the full liberalization of stopover freedom rights by the Civil Aviation Authority and the need to increase Greece’s competitiveness in aviation to attract non-European Union airlines.

Also pending is the lifting of disincentives that increase air transport cost in Greece and the development of air export in the country through strategic actions in the aviation field.

We will support any effort towards these directions and we hope that by next Philoxenia, these issues will have been focused on.