Peloponnese Region Hosts WTFL Chief, Promotes Sustainable Tourism

Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura, Peloponnese Governor Petros Tatoulis and WTFL CEO Martin Barth during the World Tourism Forum Lucerne (WTFL) Think Tank 2018, which was held in March at Costa Navarino.

“The Peloponnese Region is evolving into a global model for sustainable tourism product development through its pilot cooperation program with the World Tourism Forum of Lucerne (WTFL),” regional governor Petros Tatoulis said during a meeting last week with Martin Barth, CEO World Tourism Forum Lucerne, who was on a visit to Greece.

Tatoulis went on to note that regional authorities are working on a sustainable model for the parallel development of tourism in harmony with community needs.

Tatoulis added that the priority now is to pick up the pace of strategic planning and implementation of projects in the Peloponnese Region as well as the promotion of “best practices which will be presented in May 2019 at the next Lucerne annual forum in Switzerland, and then in cooperation with the World Tourism Organization around the world”.

“The Peloponnese Region is our ideal partner for this purpose and that is why we will work together to present internationally how the tourist product can be developed in a sustainable manner,” said Barth, adding that regional authorities have already done great work in this direction.

During his visit, Barth had the chance to visit the Tegea Museum, the archaeological sites of Alea and Episkopi, the Leonidio climbing park and hotel facilities.

Peloponnese Governor Petros Tatoulis and WTFL CEO Martin Barth.

Speaking to public broadcaster ERT, Tatoulis underlined the significance of the cooperation with the WTFL: “It should be noted that we are in talks with one of the most important people laying out the policies for the coming years for the world tourist product… I believe it opens up a new chapter in the region’s efforts. Today, all international organizations recognize that something different is happening in the Peloponnese.”

The Peloponnese region came into the international spotlight in March, when the Costa Navarino in Pylos hosted the World Tourism Forum Lucerne (WTFL) Think Tank 2018.

 WTFL 2019 will be held in Lucerne, Switzerland on May 1-3.