Greek Hoteliers, Ministry Discuss Mountain Tourism Development

The development of mountain tourism topped the agenda of a virtual meeting between Greek hoteliers and Deputy Tourism Minister Sofia Zacharaki on Saturday.

According to Zacharaki, the ministry would soon be setting up a special working group responsible for drawing up a national strategy for the development of mountain tourism, which will attract tourism all year round particularly to the country’s remote regions.

During the meeting, the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation (POX) also presented the minister with problems that member hotels face, particularly those operating in mainland Greece regions.

Zacharaki said the ministry would tap into all financial tools available to safeguard the mainland tourism product and support hoteliers towards modernizing their enterprises.

The minister admitted that Greece’s mainland mountain destinations were for the most part still “largely unexploited”, adding that developing mountain tourism was a top government priority and key to the country’s economic recovery.

POX President Grigoris Tasios welcomed the announcement adding that hotel enterprises in mountain regions were mainly small businesses which had suffered a massive blow due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Tasios went on to express his hope that the government will channel Recovery Fund aid to small businesses and training so as to create the value added that will in turn create benefits.

POX member hoteliers submitted their proposals focusing on mountain and mainland tourism options with emphasis on special interest tourism and outdoor activities. They also reiterated their proposal for the establishment of the so-called “White Week” – an annual mid-winter break aimed at offering incentives for family tours, boosting tourism at winter destinations as well as reviving tourist activity at lesser-known destinations across Greece, and finally strengthening local communities and economies tested by the crisis.