Greek Tourism Ministry Participates in UN Climate Change Conference COP28

Greek Secretary General for Tourism Policy and Development Myron Flouris and Director General of Tourism Policy Panagiota Dionysopoulou (center) on the sidelines of the COP28 climate talks in Dubai. Photo source: Greek Tourism Ministry

A delegation representing the Greek Tourism Ministry participated in the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) taking place in Dubai, UAE this week.

The delegation consisting of Secretary General for Tourism Policy and Development Myron Flouris and Director General of Tourism Policy Panagiota Dionysopoulou discussed ministry initiatives aimed at accelerating climate action during a special event on the sidelines of COP28. Among these, the creation of the National Observatory for Sustainable Tourism and the first Mediterranean Coastal and Maritime Tourism Observatory.

Photo source: Greek Tourism Ministry

Underlining the importance of setting and meeting sustainability targets, UNWTO Director for Europe Alessandra Priante has welcomed Greece’s plans to proceed with the creation of the observatory.

On the sidelines of COP28, Flouris coordinated a panel discussion about the need to take joint initiatives toward achieving sustainability goals for coastal and marine tourism. On her part, Dionysopoulou coordinated a second panel discussion about the impact of data collection on informed policy decision-making for the economy, society and the environment.

Photo source: Greek Tourism Ministry

Panel participants included representatives from the Portuguese Tourism Organization (Turismo de Portugal), the Tourism Ministry of Cyprus, CLIA (Cruise Lines International Association), Croatia’s Institute for Tourism, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the Hellenic Center for Marine Research.

The decision for the creation of a national observatory was initially tabled in 2013, then again in 2020 and again this year by Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni in parliament during the vote of a new tourism law.

Greek lawmakers approved by majority vote the draft bill titled “Provisions to Strengthen Sustainable Tourism Development” which focuses on sustainability, accessibility, value added and equal distribution of tourism flows.