Op-Ed: George Patoulis on building the Attica of tomorrow

Cosmopolitan, historical and at the same time modern, attractive and safe, Attica is an eternal metropolis of the world, promising authentic experiences and a variety of choices.

A powerful, globally recognizable brand name, which has established itself in recent years as one of the most popular all-year-round travel destinations in the world.

In the Region of Attica, through a comprehensive tourism strategy, we give a new impetus to our tourism product, aiming to make it an independent destination for tourists from all over the world, a place where tourists can really find anything they want and even more.

Valuable assets in this endeavour are the unique comparative advantages of Attica: its long history with dozens of World Heritage sites, but also contemporary art spaces, scattered throughout the Attica Basin; the excellent agri-food products and the refined wine varieties, which form the basis for unprecedented gastronomic pleasures through high quality food and entertainment services; the excellent climate and the blue, cloudless Attica sky, which offer opportunities for outdoor activities almost all year round; its cosmopolitan islands, a taste of paradise just minutes away from the modern ports of Attica. The tens of kilometres of the “Attica Riviera” beaches that alternate with mountainous landscapes and country trails. Thousands of beautiful places are awaiting tourists to discover them.

With methodical and persistent work, we have been investing every available resource to leverage these advantages, especially through actions related to the development of thematic tourism.

We constantly enhance the cultural product of Attica by remodelling archaeological sites, revamping and/or creating new museums, theatres and cultural sites, which are a pole of attraction for visitors from all over the world.

We are completely changing the image of the coastal front, through major urban renovations that offer free access to beaches and open spaces for entertainment and sports. We are modernizing the ports and marinas throughout Attica, giving a new impetus not only to the island communities, but to cruises and yacht mooring services as well.

Currently, we are building the Attica of tomorrow, through great projects; state-of-the-art cultural, sports and conference infrastructure capable of hosting international events; a functional and safe road network, which interconnects every part of Attica, so that the visitor can enjoy more easily its beauties; with projects and initiatives that protect the environment and “green” development.

We invest in health tourism, this excellent development tool at local and national levels, utilizing the expertise of Greek doctors, the quality health services, the internationally certified structures, the substantial investments of the private sector and the hotel industry and – of course – the healthy climate, sun and Mediterranean diet. Our goal is to make Attica a global metropolis of health and wellness in the coming years.

Our effort is already bearing fruit. The significant increase in tourist arrivals, along with an increase in the average length of stay in Attica and the money spent by visitors, is proof that we are on the right track to implement a realistic and effective strategic planning.

The study of INSETE, a product of excellent cooperation and long interaction, is a useful tool in our policy making, especially in terms of reaching new markets and planning targeted actions and projects.

Focused on our goal, we will offer, through the full utilization of our tourism product, new opportunities to all entrepreneurs in the industry, but also to all those who are willing to try their hand at it.

Regional Governor of Attica
George Patoulis

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