Greece Celebrates World Tourism Day 2023, Highlights Importance of Green Investments

Today, on World Tourism Day 2023, leaders from every global region have united around a shared determination to invest in the sector’s growth and transformation.

Held around the theme of “Tourism and Green Investments”, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is highlighting the need for more and better-targeted investments for people, for planet and for prosperity.

Attending celebrations in World Tourism Day 2023 host country Saudi Arabia, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili stressed that tourism must lead the way in accelerating the sector’s shift to greater resilience and sustainability.

“For this, we need more investment, as well as the right kind of investment. That is the central message of this year’s World Tourism Day, a message that is being amplified from the official hosts of the celebrations, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and echoed around the world by our members everywhere.”

UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. Photo source: UNWTO

The official celebrations for World Tourism Day 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, brought together more than 50 ministers of tourism alongside hundreds of high-level delegates from both the public and private sectors.

According to the UNWTO, the celebrations of the global day of observation have been the biggest and most impactful on record.

Greece sends its message

On the occasion of World Tourism Day, key Greek tourism figures sent out their messages, underlining the need for the whole of the sector to step up investments that deliver for people, planet and for prosperity.

Tourism Ministry

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni. Photo source: GNTO

Speaking during the launch event for the first MICHELIN Guide Athens, Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said that World Tourism Day highlights the need to promote policies and investments that lead to sustainability, environmental protection, but also a fair and inclusive tourism development.

“At the Tourism Ministry, our planning promotes policies that can lead to a competitive and sustainable tourism, guided by green growth, the strengthening of social cohesion and the preservation of the identity of the destinations and the Greek tourism product,” the minister said, adding that the central axes of the ministry’s policy includes the promotion of tourism forms that contribute to the sustainability, diversification and enrichment of Greece’s tourism offering.

“Highlighting resources such as Greek gastronomy and our contemporary culinary offer is one of the most important tools for achieving our goals as it creates opportunities to enhance both the travel experience and the special identity of our destinations while at the same time ensuring numerous benefits for local communities and economies”.

Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO)

GNTO President Angela Gerekou.

Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) President Angela Gerekou highlighted that tourism “when managed properly” can be a catalyst for positive change. She invited all to commit to a future where tourism and green investments go hand in hand.

“Tourism has long been and must continue to be a global force for good… However, it also has an undeniable impact on our environment. As we stand at the crossroads in adressing the challenges of environmental changes and degradation it becomes imperative to harness the transformative power of tourism to promote green investments and protect our planet,” Gerekou said.

The GNTO’s president is optimistic that a world, where every journey can leave a positive mark on the planet, can be created.

“It is not just a vision. It is a responsibility we owe to the generations that will come after us. As travelers, industry leaders, policymakers and citizens of this beautiful planet, let us embark on a journey towards a sustainable and eco friendly future for tourism.”

Hellenic Hoteliers Federation

Hellenic Hoteliers Federation POX President Grigoris Tasios.

The president of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation, Grigoris Tasios, highlighted that the extreme phenomena that constitute the new global reality can also be seen as a “test” to the endurance of Greek tourism.

“The risks and impacts of climate change do not allow any delays in our strategic priority. They force us to focus on the local features of each destination in terms of sustainability, on changes in travel behavior and of course, on the armoring and upgrading of our infrastructure,” he said.

Tasios underlined that tourism has to face great challenges, but also opportunities where “everyone’s cooperation” is the only solution.

He said the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation continues to support the joining of forces at all levels; to believe in the enormous contribution of the Greek hotel to fair prosperity for all; and to invest in the future of Greece with a long-term positive imprint on the environment, on people and on society.

Hotel Owners’ Association of Magnesia

Referring to the destruction caused by Storm Daniel and also to this year’s theme for World Tourism Day “Tourism and Green Investments”, which emphasizes the need to invest in projects for the benefit of people, the planet, and prosperity, the Hotel Owners’ Association of Magnesia wondered if “green investments are enough” to help businesses move forward.

“We found out for ourselves after the last catastrophic event of “Daniel”, in general in Thessaly and especially in Magnesia, how much our planet and our world are affected by climate changes. Water is polluted, people are uprooted, food is scarce and in general sustainability becomes the problem of our present and future in just an instant… But how can we be led to a rebirth through this climate crisis and after so many repeated blows? Are green investments enough to get us back on our feet?” the association said in its message.

The hotel owners of Magnesia called for the government to support the green transformation of small hotels and small and medium-sized family businesses.

“In the coming years, the environmental footprint of a hotel or a business in general will be a key criterion for the visitor. This is already on our agenda… We urgently need an action plan clearly for saving water, energy, etc. reducing our environmental footprint and investing in quality.”

The association concluded its message by saying that the “green agenda” should be supported by all and not only by hotels, referring to the government’s latest announcement about raising the so-called “stayover tax”, a daily accommodation fee charged to hotel guests in the country, in order to partly finance a specially created natural disasters emergency fund.

“Green growth and green funds are NOT created by overtaxing hotels, increasing the stayover tax and certainly not only by hotels.”

Halkidiki Tourism Organization

Highlighting this year’s theme for World Tourism Day, the Halkidiki Tourism Organization said it is proud of the new high-quality investments made in Halkidiki by investors from abroad and Greece.

The organization applauded the “multitude of green practices” and the efforts of local tourism businesses to achieve specific goals of green entrepreneurship such as:

• reduction of the energy and especially the environmental footprint
• development and marketing of green products and services
• improving the environmental and social profile of businesses and reducing the deficit of social acceptance
• business compliance with international environmental standards
• creation of new jobs.

“We call on all public and private entities to implement green investment practices as they are considered important parameters in the modern era because the planet has to face the rapid developments of climate change resulting mainly from anthropogenic factors,” the organization concluded.

Ioannina Region Hotels Association

Stathis Sioutis from the Ioannina Region Hotels Association with Giota Mastora, tourism conference organizer.

Stathis Sioutis, the former president and current member of the Ioannina Region Hotels Association in northwestern Greece, expressed hope that this year’s theme of World Tourism Day will be an occasion to develop a greener future for tourism.

“The UNWTO highlights the need for more and better investments for people, planet and prosperity… All this cannot leave us indifferent,” he said.

Sioutis added that the destination of Ioannina, the Region of Epirus and the whole of Greece base their tourism on their incomparably beautiful landscapes and monuments, which “we must protect” by moving towards sustainable development.

“As a tourism professional, I know the importance of green investments in our industry, which can keep us competitive in a rapidly evolving environment and support local economies.”

World Tourism Day has been celebrated since 1980 on September 27, the day in which the Statutes of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) entered into force. Peace and Dialogue, Energy, Accessibility, World Heritage, Water and Tourism, Sustainable Tourism, Inclusivity and Tourism and Technology have been some of the topics tackled on the previous editions of World Tourism Day.