ECTAA – Greece Mark Fruitful Collaboration Towards ‘Greener’ Tourism

Photo source: Visit Greece

The European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Associations (ECTAA) and the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) marked a fruitful partnership this year with initiatives towards sustainable tourism.

The two tourism bodies worked together to establish Greece as a leading eco-friendly destination by raising awareness on the need for environmental practices in the industry.

In this direction, ECTAA and the GNTO organized two online roundtables focusing on current sustainable measures in Greece’s tourism sector; and welcomed European travel advisors who discussed the revision of EU legislation on travel packages, exchanged insights, promoted sustainable services, and underlined the importance of bridging the gap between suppliers and environmentally-conscious consumers.

In this direction, Greece announced a series of funding options open to small and medium-sized enterprises that will help them grow and implement sustainable practices.

“Greece has been ECTAA’s preferred destination for three years in a row; this demonstrates the willingness of the Greek authorities and the GNTO in particular to utilize the skills and networks of European travel advisors,” said ECTAA Secretary General Eric Dresin.

Among others, Dresin also hinted at an upcoming cooperation with a new destination while affirming ECTAA’s unwavering commitment to supporting the Greek tourism industry through local member organization Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies (HATTA) and its global network.

Looking ahead, both ECTAA and the GNTO are expecting sustained growth, stressing however the need to implement responsible tourism practices for the future of the industry.

ECTAA represents some 80,000 travel agents and tour operators in Europe.