Health Tourism Tops Greek Tourism Ministry’s Agenda

New investments and infrastructure works regarding the development of health, wellness and thermal tourism are included in the Tourism Ministry’s agenda, the Secretary General for Tourism Policy and Development Georgios Tziallas said, during a conference on health tourism recently organized by the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE).

Titled “Health Tourism: A Driver of Development of the Greek Economy & Establishing Greece into a Leading Destination 12 Months a Year” the conference was held on the island of Ithaki, in the Ionian Sea.

In his speech Tziallas said the ministry was working towards the recognition new thermal springs throughout Greece and the attraction of new investments, which would boost local economies. The plan includes infrastructure works for the development and modernization of thermal springs, funded by the European Union through the “Competitiveness, Entrepreneurship and Innovation” Operational Program 2014-2020. Tziallas also referred to the potential of additional funding via Private and Public Partnerships (PPPs).

Furthermore, he underlined the need for tourism to interconnect with other sectors of the economy, including primary production, the processing sector and trade.

Focusing on the ministry’s insular policy, the secretary general spoke of the efforts being made to support small islands, such as Ithaki, by extending the summer tourism season and by promoting special tourism forms, ” based on each destination’s competitive advantages”.

Concluding his speech Tziallas referred to the “excellent cooperation” with the Ministry of Shipping and Insular Policy towards the development of sea tourism, the cruise industry, yachting and diving tourism.