Initiatives

Mayor of Athens Nikitas Kaklamanis announced the Greek capital is now a member of C40 Cities. C40 is an international initiative comprised of 40 major cities that have joined forces to help combat climate change.

Greece and Italy formed an alliance for rural tourism development through the European Union initiative “Leader+.” The Leader+ program is one of four initiatives financed by European Union structural funds and is designed to help rural administartions consider the long-term potential of their local region.

A meeting was held recently, headed by Minister for Mercantile Marine and Island Policy Georgios Voulgarakis, to discuss the necessary measures that must be taken to protect the environment in lieu of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis oil pipeline project.

Club Hotel Casino Loutraki recently took an initiative, in cooperation with New York College, to partially finance Bachelor and MBA degrees for some twenty employees. This initiative is part of the company’s aim to further educate its staff and thus enhance its work force. The courses will take place in the work place.

Members of the travel industry in support of breast cancer awareness month (October) took two initiatives recently. Delta Air Line’s employees and customers showed their support and raised money for the cause as did the hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens in cooperation with Estee Lauder cosmetics and the ministry of health and social solidarity.

British Airways recently invited twelve young travelers from all over the world to its London headquarters in Waterside, in order to participate in a kid’s council that would inquire into the needs of this age group.

The General Secretariat for Youth under the auspices of the Ministry of National Education and Religious Affairs and the non-government organization PRAKSIS launched an innovative campaign to inform young people about a better quality of life.

Trinity International School of Tourism Management in Crete and the International School of Tourism in Tbilisi State University of Georgia have signed an agreement of cooperation.

Greece’s culture ministry last month unveiled a hand-held gadget for visitors that offers high-resolution video, detailed diagrams of Greek archaeological sites, position indicators, and imagery along with stereo sound.

An association representing foreign investors has teamed up to deal with Greek government bureaucracy and convoluted regulations that both stall and dissuade investments in large tourism projects.