‘Athens Tourism Partnership’ Enters Second Phase

Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis, AEGEAN Vice President Eftichis Vassilakis and AEGEAN CEO, Dr Ioannis Paraschis.

The collaborative initiative “Athens Tourism Partnership” has entered into its second phase and is expected to expand with the participation of leading institutions and companies involved in the Greek capital’s tourism industry, it was announced on Wednesday, during the ITB Berlin 2018 trade show.

AEGEAN Vice President Eftichis Vassilakis.

Launched in 2016 by the City of Athens, AEGEAN and Athens International Airport (AIA), the “Athens Tourism Partnership” initiative aims to promote the Greek capital and establish it as a top year-round city break destination in southern Europe.

The initiative sees to bring together a public authority and private companies, aiming to promote the authentic experience of Athens.

During a press conference held on the sidelines of the ITB Berlin expo, some 50 representatives of international and German media were given details on the campaign’s second phase, which highlights the variety of options the city offers to its guests and invites them to create their own stories. Titled “Spring in Athens”, the campaign kicked off on March 1, focusing mainly on the German market.

“The central axis of our policy is to unite the healthy forces of our city, to make synergies and to achieve the best possible for Athens,” Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis, adding that the municipality’s partnership with AEGEAN and Athens Airport is a successful example.

According to Mayor Kaminis, Athens broke all records of arrivals in 2017, surpassing 5 million visitors, and even attracts  artists from abroad to the point where many international media outlets present the Greek capital as the New Berlin.

“Athens is gaining its right to be a city-destination and not just a connecting hub to the islands in the summer,” AEGEAN Vice President Eftichis Vassilakis said.

According to Vassilakis, from 2013 until today, AEGEAN has increased its connections from 17 countries and 27 international airports to 41 countries and 80 airports, contributing to the development of Athens.

On his part, AIA CEO Yiannis Paraschis said that the promotion of Athens is a strategic goal of the airport in order to strengthen the presence and position of the city in the international tourism market throughout the year.

“We joined forces with the City of Athens and AEGEAN in a collaborative effort to make a joint effort for the city, which should be continued with the support of all stakeholders and professionals who make up the tourism chain,” Paraschis said.