Thessaloniki Hoteliers: Preserving Greece’s Image Key to Tourism

Ensuring safe and effortless travel and safeguarding the image of Greece as a stable tourist destination are vital towards the sector’s growth, Thessaloniki Hotels Association (THA) President Aristotelis Thomopoulos said this week.

Speaking at the THA’s annual New Year’s pita-cutting event held at the Met Hotel, Thomopoulos called on Greek farmers to refrain from blocking main road networks, airports and customs offices across the country in protest to government measures as these actions will inevitably lead to consequences including cancellations and inconvenience for the traveling public.

Thomopoulos said that Thessaloniki hoteliers are ”hoping to avoid a repeat of last year’s actions which negatively affected road tourism to the region”.

“We understand the problems farmers face and and support them in their fair demands, but we are against preventing free movement which can endanger tourism”, he said.

Thessaloniki Hotels Association Board of Directors with Central Macedonia Governor Apostolos Tzitzikostas and Thessaloniki Deputy Mayor for Tourism and International Relations Spiros Pengas.

Thomopoulos also referred to the goals the THA achieved in 2016 including the far-reaching promotion of Thessaloniki and surrounding destinations as well as the positive results of a series of fam trips organized for international media.

“There is still plenty of room for improved revenues”, he said, referring to the targets for 2017, adding that government authorities must immediately deal with the issue of unfair competition resulting from the operation of illegally operating tourist accommodation as well as with the constant tax hikes which are seriously endangering legal tourism enterprise.