Greece To Host University Students From Canada, Develop Educational Tourism

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni (third from left) with Steve Mirkopoulos from the Hellenic Heritage Foundation in Toronto and Simon Fraser University executives, Maria Hamilton and Laura Quilici.

The Greek Tourism Ministry is planning to launch a hospitality program and host students from the Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada.

The new student hospitality program, which will include Greek-language classes, will take place during the summer months and university students will be hosted at the Galaxidi School of Tourism Professions.

The hospitality program is the first action launched in accordance to the new cooperation agreement made between the Greek Tourism Ministry and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies, located at Simon Fraser University.

The announcement of the new cooperation was made today, 17 September, during a meeting Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni held in Athens with Simon Fraser University executives, Maria Hamilton and Laura Quilici, and Steve Mirkopoulos from the Hellenic Heritage Foundation in Toronto.

According to Mrs. Kefalogianni, the development of educational tourism can be “one more important step”  for the enrichment of the Greek tourism product.

“Our goal is for students from abroad that study Greek, to meet modern Greece, the hospitality of its people and the country’s culture,” she said.

Educational tourism has generally been an overlooked form of tourism in the Greek market.