General Events & Happenings

Business cooperation between Greek and Azerbaijani tourism entrepreneurs was predicted after the recent familiarization tour of Azerbaijani tour operators to Athens, Crete and Thessaloniki organized by the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies.

The military refuge of the head of the Communist Party of Greece during the Civil War (1946-1949), Nikos Zachariadis, and the cave used as a military hospital by his Democratic Army of Greece in the mountains of Western Macedonia are to be converted into tourist attractions.

September will see the inauguration of a new athletic institution at the initiative of the Marathon municipality: a marathon run, the same as the route featured in the first modern Olympics in 1896 (from the Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens to the Marathon Stadium).

A meeting for agritourism entrepreneurs is to take place in Kritonou (Thinia, Kefallonia) on 1-3 September with the aim to create a promotional business network for agritourism companies.

Tourism Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos recently launched the exhibition “Trek to the Greek Light and Color Through Posters of the GNTO” on Crete.

A Memorandum of Brotherhood was signed recently in Beijing between Beijing Capital International Airport, which is preparing to host the 2008 Olympic Games, and Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”, which four years ago had the the honor to welcome and bid farewell to the 2004 Olympic Games.

Agrotouristiki and the Municipality of Epidavros last month organized a series of cultural events and exhibits for the celebration of the 10-year anniversary of agritourism activities in Epidavros.

The first round of tourism seminars that aim to train executives of the Greek foreign affairs ministry were recently completed. These seminars prepare the executives for their placement to countries where Greek tourism offices are not available.

Sky Team aviation alliance (which celebrates its eighth year) together with Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos, recently donated 15,000 euros to the international child welfare organization SOS Children’s Villages in Greece.

Greek tourism once again enters a crisis period, as a series of negative factors form a new, difficult situation and lead to deep concern, said the chairman of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, Gerasimos Fokas, at a press conference held recently.