General Events & Happenings

Tourism Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos called a press conference recently and expressed his conclusions on Greek tourism and his optimism in regards to the current image Greece has within the sector.

Continental Airlines recently completed its second educational seminar at Athens International Airport for representatives from some of the biggest travel agents and tour operators in Greece.

The tourism development ministry announced the prefectural administration of Grevena is the tourism destination that was chosen to represent Greece in the European Commission’s pilot project “European Destinations of Excellence” (EDEN) with the theme “tourism and local intangible heritage.”

Superfast Ferries recently invited several port agents on a three-day familiarization trip to Italy. The group, made up of company executives from several departments and Adriatic coast port agents from Patra, Igoumenitsa, Corfu, Bari and Ancona, boarded Superfast V for Bari.

Tourism Development Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos recently met with representatives of the Association of Greek Exhibition and Conference Organizers (AGECO).

Sunways Travel advised all travelers to “travel responsibly” at the presentation of its new environmental strategy in an event organized under the auspices of the City of Athens and the support of Technopolis and the Athens Tourism & Economic Development Company.

Continental Airlines recently organized a second familiarization trip for 10 travel agents in order to inform them on all aspects of the airline’s services and beyond. On the previous familiarization trip travel agents were toured around Newark Liberty International Airport, Continental’s hub in New York.

The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) announced it would be the sponsor of “The Screening Room” for a second time as part of its association with CNN television network in Europe, Middle East and Africa. “The Screening Room” is CNN’s monthly movie show that provides viewers with inside information on all aspects of the movie business worldwide. The show is presented by former reality television star Myleene Klass. GNTO’s renewed association with the CNN network, according to the tourism development ministry, is targeted at the “creative class.” The GNTO thus asserts its tourism strategy in coordinating its image with world cinema through association with professionals in the film industry.

A familiarization trip was co-organized by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA) for 19 tour operators from St. Petersburg who flew to Athens on Rossiya Airlines, which recently launched this direct route. The group from Russia included executives from the Russian Union of Travel Industry (RUTI), tour operators and managers from the largest travel agencies in St. Petersburg, Russian media and Rossiya Airlines representatives.

Some 25 Austrian tour operators and media members headed by Niko Papamike, representative of a Vienna-based tour operator, and Ioanna Rafalia, press and public relations officer of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) in Austria, visited Gythio recently, hosted by Laconia Hotel Association and the Prefectural Administration of Laconia.