Greece Promotes Religious, Cultural Tourism In China

A delegation comprising Greek tourism professionals began a visit to China on 13 November to engage in business meetings with leading tour operators of the country to bolster Chinese tourist arrivals in Greece.

The delegation is led by the Greek Synodal Office of Religious Tourism, headed by Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Dodoni and Archimandrite Spyridon Katramados.

The group of Greek businessmen and representatives from travel agencies include Paschalis Gallos (Ambotis Tours, Thessaloniki), Tonia Luo (Meli Tours,Thessaloniki), Sissy Yun Zhu (Kentavros Travel Network, Athens), Anna-Maria Drakopoulou (Hydraiki Naval Company-Áthens One Day Cruise, Athens), Katerina Mousbeh (MidEast International Travel, Athens) and Ioannis Liaskos (Zante Hospitality Group, Athens & Zakynthos).

Business meetings have already taken place in the Chinese cities of Hangzhou and Nanjing. During the meetings, discussions focused on cooperation opportunities and the creation of the appropriate infrastructure for Chinese tourists in Greece based on the country’s culture and history.

The Greek tourism professionals will attend meetings in Shanghai on 18 November and return to Athens.

The Church of Greece launched a strategy earlier this year to attract tourists to the country’s sacred religious sites (Holy Monasteries, Pilgrimage sites and other religious monuments) following a protocol signed with the Greek Tourism Ministry for the development of religious-pilgrimage tourism in Greece.

The trip to China follows the participation of the Church of Greece in the recent World Travel Market trade show in London, UK..