SETE Calls For Synergies To Promote Greek Gastronomy

Session 1: “Enhancing the passenger experience. Best practices and opportunities for cooperation in the tourism and food industry” – Thomas Douzis (ERGON), Alexandros Angelopoulos (Aldemar Hotels & SPA), George Drakopoulos (SETE), Nikos Andritsos (SKAI TV), Vasilis Zaharakis (Nichteri restaurant), Christos Sokolis (Food Concepts) and Yiannis Kolovos (Ederned).

If Greek tourism professionals, restaurant owners and local producers developed synergies and worked together, Greece’s gastronomy could contribute an additional 500,000 arrivals to Greece, one billion euros to the country’s GDP and 50,000 new jobs.

This was the main conclusion of the “Gastrotourism: Food for development” event, held recently by the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) during the 8th HORECA Expo in Athens.

The event was held within the framework of SETE’s “Gastrotourism–Food for development” campaign that aims to raise funds for the implementation of the “Gastronomy in the marketing menu of Greek tourism” project. The campaign runs until the end of February.

During the first session, an expert panel analyzed the best practices on cooperation between the tourism and food sectors that would lead to quality Greek products promoted to foreign visitors through hotels.

The lack of cooperation between the sectors over the years had led to the benefit of imported goods and not of local Greek products.

However, as noted by SETE’s general director, George Drakopoulos, this mentality is changing as professionals are coming to terms with the importance of the gastronomy concept and are welcoming quality Greek products.

“The best way to promote local products is through hotels,” a marketing specialist underlined.

Session 2: “Using brand products to boost tourism” – Panagiota Vlahou (FEREIKOS HELIX), Georgia Karouki (Metaxa, WS. Karoulias), Panagis Manouilidis (Odysea Ltd.), Meropi Papadopoulou (Kathimerini), Salomi Stavridou (KAYAK), Zafiris Trikalinos (Trikalinos company), Lefteris Platanisiotis (Gaia Food) and Aggelos Rouvalis (Greek Wine Federation).

During the second session on using brand products to boost tourism, it was emphasized that numerous Greek brands have a dynamic presence in international markets while foreign visitors to Greece are also showing a growing interest.

“That’s why the Greek food points abroad should immediately improve and start using quality raw materials,” SETE said.

All panellists agreed that more synergies were needed between food companies to increase the promotion of Greek products in local hotels of every region.

According to the panellists, a strong emphasis should be given to local cuisine so tourists could “get acquainted” with the country’s gastronomy and then pass the experience on to their countries.

According to SETE, within three to five years, Greek gastronomy can be one of the three key reasons for tourists choosing Greece as their holiday destination.

For more information on SETE’s campaign “Gastrotourism–Food for development” press here.

GTP is among the main media sponsors of SETE’s campaign.

Alexandros Angelopoulos, vice president of Aldemar Hotels & SPA, presented the Sympossio Gourmet Touring event, a unique synergy of Greek producers, hoteliers, airline, coastal companies and travel trade professionals from all over Europe that aims to promote Greek gastronomy to European countries.

Zafiris Trikalinos, president of Trikalinos company, showed a slide show involving the international popularity of his Grey Mullet Bottarga (known in Greece as Avgotaraho) brand.

Danae Salepoula, Fundraising Coordinator for SETE’s Gastronomy Project.