Greece Aims to Link Tourism with Trade

ESEE President Giorgos Karanikas and Tourism Minister Vasilis Kikilias.

Redefining the conditions that will enhance the connection between tourism and trade topped the agenda of talks between Greek Tourism Minister Vasilis Kikilias and the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE).

Kikilias met last week with ESEE President Giorgos Karanikas and members to discuss ways to better develop tourism-related trade activity.

“Tourism and trade are inextricably linked in country’s tourist areas where important initiatives of commercial interest are being developed,” said Kikilias, adding that the ministry was currently taking steps to strengthen city breaks in Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion and in other major cities in this direction.

The minister said similar actions would also be taken on the islands and at major tourist destinations, “where visitors will have the opportunity to choose, shop, and consume Greek quality products for a much longer period”.

“Production through trade, manufacturing, silver and gold and other industries are excellent steps towards extroversion, development and promotion of our tourism product,” said Kikilias.

On his part, Karanikas underlined the importance of formulating a “new, tourism development policy based on a new positioning and interconnection between the two sectors”.

“As a catalyst for the success of this new start in tourism and trade, we propose a legal registry of commercial enterprises active in tourism. This will rectify a long-standing distortion in the commercial-tourism business, which came to the forefront as a result of the pandemic,” he said.

Karanikas added that a new framework of cooperation will contribute significantly to addressing the needs that will emerge in the upcoming period as a result of important Recovery Fund-driven investments and synergies between the two sectors.