Greece Aiming to Improve Sustainability Practices in Tourism, Says GNTO President

Greece hospitality and tourism can lead the way and address climate change with sustainable practices, said Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) President Angela Gerekou during the 38th Philoxenia International Tourism Exhibition held in Thessaloniki over the weekend.

Participating in a panel discussion titled “The Impact of Climate Change on Tourism”, Gerekou said that the extension of the tourism season was a step in the right direction.

“Despite the fact that climate change is here and there will be consequences in southern [Europe], the Mediterranean is holding up well, and so is Greece. Autumn in Greece is gradually becoming the ideal summer,” she said.

Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) President Angela Gerekou / Photo source: GNTO

Gerekou went on to add that a longer tourism season was now a reality and that based on pre-bookings for 2024 and 2025 from major source markets, “this momentum is expected to continue”.

To maintain the momentum, Gerekou said Greek tourism enterprises will have to adopt sustainability practices. In this direction, she said, the Greek hotel industry has already won international distinctions and Greece listed among the countries in tune with the latest trend of eco-luxury.

She also referred to the country’s tourism performance in 2023, which she said appears to be exceeding pre-Covid 2019 on all levels.

Lastly, Gerekou referred to GNTO initiatives aimed at showcasing the sustainable side of Greece. “Greece has the potential to emerge as a leading, sustainable destination offering essential well-being experiences, where the modern visitor will enjoy regenerative, holistic experiences of body, mind and soul. This is also the meaning of the GNTO’s latest promotional campaign: “Greece – A Life-changing Experience’,” she said.