Full Speed Ahead for Greek Cruise Tourism

Tourism Policy and Development Secretary General Yiorgos Tziallas, Crystal Cruises CEO Edie Rodriguez, Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura, GNTO Vice President Aggeliki Chondromatidou and Navigator Travel & Tourist Services President & CEO Andreas Stylianopoulos.

Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura with GNTO USA-Canada Director Grigoria Kamaterou and Azamara Cruises Club CEO Larry Pimentel.

New cruise products, theme-based experiences, luxury cruise packages as well as upgraded infrastructure to cater to the increasing needs of bigger incoming liners and direct flights were on the agenda of Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura’s meetings with global sector officials during the Seatrade Cruise Global conference held in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, last week.

During the four-day Seatrade Cruise Global conference, Kountoura met with representatives and executives of the cruise sector to discuss ways to further strengthen Greek cruise tourism and maintain Greece’s strong market share.

Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura with CLIA representatives Charles Bud Darr (Vice-President) and Tom Fecke (Secretary General) and CLIA Europe President Kyriakos Anastasiadis.

Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura with NLC Group President Frank del Rio.

In this direction, the minister met with to the senior vice president, Charles Bud Darr, of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), as well as with Kyriakos Anastasiadis, chairman of CLIA Europe.

She discussed the potential of new Greek cruise destinations with Crystal Cruises CEO Edie Rodriguez, Ponant CEO Navin Sawhney, Norwegian Cruise Line president Frank del Rio and Azamara Club Cruises CEO Larry Pimentel, among others.

Kountoura also met with Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine, and American investors and media. The minister also discussed a proposal for the establishment of a permanent film studio on the Cycladic island of Syros with Cannes Golden Lion winner film director Steven Bernstein and his team.