Greece Outlines Priorities at UN Tourism Executive Council Meeting

Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni (center) with officials at the 121st meeting of the Executive Council of the United Nations Tourism Organization.

Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni presented Greece’s priorities, which included accelerating sustainable tourism development with the use new technologies, during the 121st meeting of the Executive Council of the United Nations Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) held this week in Barcelona.

“The adoption of sustainable practices and the promotion of innovative solutions is imperative to address new challenges and to ensure the resilience of the global tourism industry,” she said.

Greece was re-elected in 2021 as a regular member of the Council for the 2021-2025 period and also serves as vice-chair of the UN Tourism Commission for Europe.

Among others, Kefalogianni referred to Greek ministry priorities which include the Agenda for Europe, the launch of the National Observatory for Sustainable Tourism Development, and hosting in Athens the WHO/Europe and UN Tourism Coalition of Partners on Health and Tourism event.

On the sidelines of the conference, Kefalogianni renewed a Memorandum of Understanding with UN Tourism Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili for the first Mediterranean Coastal and Maritime Tourism Observatory, which has already attracted the interest of many countries in the wider region.

Kefalogianni also met with Saudi Arabia Tourism Minister Ahmed Al Khateeb. The two officials signed a Joint Action Plan for cooperation in tourism for the 2024-2026 period based on a running Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2014.