Greece and Cyprus Explore Wine Tourism Cooperation

Tourism professionals from Greece and Cyprus are exploring ways to link the wine tourism products and routes of both countries for mutual benefit.

Participating in a Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) online Greek-Cypriot tourism meetup event, the professionals agreed that wine tourism can significantly enhance the quality of the Greek and Cypriot tourism product due to the alternative experiential activities it offers travelers and the support it gives to local communities.

During the event, participants from Greece and Cyprus agreed to proceed with common targeted actions that would further develop the alternative form of wine tourism.

The event also was an opportunity for the Cypriot market to get to know Greece’s wine tourism portfolio as well as the country’s wineries that are open to visitors. Special reference was made to Zitsa, a destination known for its wine production near Ioannina, western Greece.

Furthermore, the online tourism meetup introduced distinct wine varieties developed in Greece and presented some of the country’s hotels, restaurants and available travel packages.

The online meeting was attended by GNTO Cyprus service Director Petros Saganas; National Committee for Wine Tourism Head Mary Triantafyllopoulou, Hellenic Wine Association President Yiannis Vogiatzis, Zitsa Deputy Mayor Georgios Rados and Top Kinisis Travel Public Ltd Executive Chairman Akis Kelepeshis.

The wine tourism digital event followed the GNTO’s first Greek-Cypriot online tourism meetup that took place in July and analyzed the challenges of the coronavirus era for Greek and Cypriot tourism enterprises.

According to the GNTO, future online meetups will focus on other alternative tourism forms and destinations in Greece and Cyprus.