Cycling Tourism Priority in Greek Hoteliers – NatTour Deal

Hoteliers in Greece joined forces with nonprofit NatTour to carry out joint initiatives that will promote bike and low-impact tourism, the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation (POX) announced this week.

In this direction, POX President Grigoris Tasios and NatTour General Director Vicky Karantzavelou signed a memorandum of cooperation (MoC) during the 37^th Philoxenia tourism exhibition held in Thessaloniki.

The agreement foresees shared initiatives that highlight the importance of using a bicycle as an environmentally-friendly means of transportation and as a tourist activity in its own right.

President of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation Grigoris Tasios and General Director of NatTour Vicky Karantzavelou.

Under the MoC, NatTour will provide POX member businesses with guidance and support on ways to incorporate cycling into their tourist offerings and knowhow on integrating low-impact tourism activities into their options ensuring the sustainable development of the sector.

“We are making a first attempt to include cycling in our actions and to move towards the sustainability of our hotels,” said Tasios.

NatTour’s “Bike Friendly” certification has been endorsed by the ministries of tourism and transport with the aim of raising awareness about the advantages of cycling.

Earlier this month, the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA) and NatTour signed a three-year memorandum of cooperation which foresees among others the creation of a tour agency network specializing in bike tourism and the promotion of cycling tourism particularly at a time of increasing environmental awareness in view of climate change.