Event News

Tourism ministers from Southeastern Europe met in Athens recently under the initiative of Greece’s development minister, Akis Tsohatzopoulos, to sign a tourism cooperation agreement. This followed close on the heels of an agreement signed during the Panorama tourism exhibition by travel agency associations of some of the same countries under an initiative of Yiannis Evangelou, president of the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourism Agents.

Leading members of Greece’s tourism community attended the recent general meeting of the Panhellenic Federation of Tourism Enterprises (POET) held in Athens.

Prime Minister Costas Simitis told the 11th annual meeting of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) last month that he realized the strong euro, the universal economic slowdown and the Iraq war have adversely affected Greek tourism. He also said that he favored SETE becoming the government’s social partner and industry link, along with unions and employers, in thrashing out tourism policies.

Delegates to the recent World Association of Travel Agents annual general assembly here in Athens (November 28 to December 1) felt privileged to be the first to hear how 2004 Games’ tickets will be distributed.

Tourist enterprises are quite vulnerable to almost any crisis. A series of unfortunate incidents in the past, not to mention last month’s terrorist attack on New York, confirm this fact and mark the need of more efficient management and planning of each enterprise’s communications police and practice.

Greece’s potential as a unique destination for rock climbers was explored last month by climbers from 11 countries during the Kalymnos 2000 International Rock Climbing Meeting organized by the Kalymnos municipality, the Hellenic Alpine Club and brother European organizations.

The prospects for cooperation between travel agencies and the transport industry were raised at the first public discussion recently hosted by the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourism Agencies (HATTA). Last month the association launched the first in a series of one-day seminars aimed at exchanging views and improving coordination within the tourism industry, as well as helping to solve problems that face the sector.

At a recent seminar held in the Old Parliament in downtown Athens tourism and political leaders gave their full support and are one hundred percent in favor of the Women in Tourism association’s proposal to create a Greek tourism museum.

Never in its 70 years of history did the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourism Agents (HATTA) see so many members attend a general assembly as it did last month. Reasons for the strong interest varied.

On February 7, the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourism Agents (HATTA) meet at the Athens Chandris hotel for their annual general assembly. Guest speaker at the event will be Michel de Bust, secretary general of ECTAA, which represents the national travel agent associations in the European Union. He will speak on the latest developments in the areas of travel and tourism.