German Travel Market Players Keen on Greece Extending Tourism Season

Leading players in Germany’s travel market are interested in Greece’s goal of extending its tourism season into the winter.

During his visit to Berlin on Monday, Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias held a series of meetings with the heads of airlines and leading tour operators and presented the ministry’s strategy to attract tourists to Greece in the autumn and winter months.

During meetings with the heads of Lufthansa Group, Eurowings, Condor and Der Touristik, Kikilias highlighted Greece’s tourism success this year considering that it was the only country in Europe that managed to achieve an increase in flights compared to 2019. As the minister pointed out, Greece was also the only country to secure travel packages until the end of 2022 and attract the interest of airlines to expand flights in the winter to extend the tourist season both in city centers and throughout regions.

It is noted that during this summer, Lufthansa Group’s airlines (Swiss, Lufthansa, Austrian, Brussels) operated more than 14,000 flights to Greece.

Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias with representatives of Lufthansa Group and Eurowings.

In his meeting with Lufthansa Group’s head of Corporate International Relations and Government Affairs, Kay Lindermann and Eurowings’ head of Government Affairs, Vladimirvon Schnürbein, Kikilias presented the tourism ministry’s strategy for airlines to boost flights to Greece during the winter months.

Following the presentation, Schnürbein said that Eurowings is keen on increasing flights to Greece both for this winter as well as for summer 2023.

When holding talks with the CEO of DER Touristik, Soren Hartmann, Kikilias presented the GNTO’s campaign to promote Greece to Northern European pensioners and informed how hotels, museums, restaurants and cafes will operate in the coming months.

DER Touristik CEO Soren Hartmann and the Greek tourism minister.

According to the ministry, Hartmann welcomed the initiative of the Greek tourism ministry, pointing out that the goal set is both feasible and has prospects.

Kikilias also met with Condor CEO Christian Lesjak who welcomed the ministry’s plan to extend Greece’s tourism season. Lesjak said he sees it possible to implement with the expansion of the company’s flights to key destinations in the country.

Minister Kikilias with Condor CEO Christian Lesjak.

Germany is the first stop in a series of visits that Kikilias will make to Northern and Central European countries to inform on Greece’s tourism season extension. Trips to Austria, France, Sweden and the UK will follow.