Messinia Hoteliers Call for Tourism Ministry Support

Kalamata, Greece.

Actions that will boost traveler activity to Kalamata International Airport topped the agenda of talks this week between Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni and the Messinia Hotel Association.

The region’s hoteliers met with the minister to discuss ways of boosting tourist flows to the region and developing new products.

Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni and Messinia Hotel Association President Dimitris Karalis.

Formulating policies and actions that will increase activity at Kalamata Airport was a key demand. Indicatively, total arrivals at Kalamata Airport dropped by 15.91 percent in the first nine months of the year compared to the same period in 2022. International arrivals however were up by 10.8 percent. The Peloponnese Region, meanwhile, accounts for 2.5-3 percent of tourism-related revenues. The government announced last week that a concession tender for the right to operate, develop and maintain the airport is expected to be completed a year later than initially planned in the first half of 2024.

Among others, Messinia Hotel Association President Dimitris Karalis called on Kefalogianni to take actions that will pave the way for cooperation between the Peloponnese Region and the ministry and for its inclusion in the government’s RRF-funded Destination management and marketing organization (DMMO) program’s cluster; the development of alternative forms of tourism; and tapping into the region’s health and wellness tourism potential.

According to the association’s statement, Kefalogianni acknowledged the need to increase tourism flows to the region particularly in view of its significant potential, which she said would in turn support the local and national economies. She went on to pledged the ministry’s support in this direction.