Greece’s Interim Tourism Minister Meets with Officials Ahead of Summer Season

(L-R) Tourism Minister Ioanna Dretta with Health Minister Anastasia Kotanidou. Photo source: Tourism Ministry.

Greece’s interim Tourism Minister Ioanna Dretta met with counterparts to discuss ongoing matters ahead of the official launch of the tourist season this month.

Dretta, who took over from Vassilis Kikilias, last month is part of a caretaker government in power until the second round of elections on June 25.

In her meetings, Dretta discussed ways to ensure that the tourism season flows as smoothly as possible in view of rising tourist arrivals to the country. In this direction, she met with interim Citizens Protection Minister Charalambos Lalousis with whom she discussed enhancing safety at popular tourist destinations. Lalousis confirmed that actions had been taken, including boosting policing positions at the country’s main gateways: at airports and border points.

Citizens Protection Minister Charalambos Lalousis (photo center) with Dretta. Photo source: Tourism Ministry.

Dretta also met with Interim Energy Minister Pantelis Kapros and Health Minister Anastasia Kotanidou, with whom she discussed providing housing to medical staff based on the islands for the summer. One proposal was utilizing hotels and accommodation facilities in this direction.

The new tourism minister will continue her meetings with government officials and authorities as the tourism season in Greece takes off.

Dretta formerly served as CEO of Marketing Greece. In her 20-year career, she has held key positions in the private and public sector in tourism.

“Greek tourism, which essentially has been supporting the Greek economy and society for the last 10 years, may have been disrupted during the Covid years, but stood on its feet and is today at the top of the global tourism market,” she said during the handover ceremony late last month.