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A special promotional TV spot will be released for Northern Greece very soon, Deputy Culture and Tourism Minister Yiorgos Nikitiadis said last month.

The Acropolis was once again used as a bargaining tool last month when employees of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism kept the site closed for four hours as a symbolic protest against the ministry’s failure to pay some of their colleagues.

The revenue of Athens-Attica hotels (3-, 4-, and 5-star) fell by 3.6 percent from last year’s January-June period as a result of a 1.2 percent drop in the average hotel occupancy rate and 2.4 percent drop in the average price per room, according to the latest study of GBR Consulting, released by the Athens-Attica Hoteliers Association.

The bill promoted by the government for the lifting of cabotage restrictions is a historical reform for the Greek cruise industry, Economy, Competitiveness and Shipping Minister Louka Katseli said last month.

Greece once again ranked second place on the Blue Flag quality award list among 41 countries, according to the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature. Spain is in first place.

Posidonia projects the potential of the global maritime industry, promotes commercial ties between international shipping companies and propels economic growth for Greece and the world’s leading seafaring nations, said Project Manager of Posidonia Fairs, Theodore Vokos, last month.

“The draft law (on the lifting of cabotage) has terms that are jointly acceptable by all agencies that deal with the cruise issue so that Greece will become a sea cruise center for the entire Mediterranean,” Economy, Competitiveness and Shipping Minister Louka Katseli said after an interministerial meeting on the issue of cabotage.

Financial crisis, International Monetary Fund, tourism, holidays, Milos… Greece’s economic crisis made headlines throughout the international media and German magazine Focus decided to “be creative” and circulated front cover issues that depicted the famous Venus de Milo statue first making an indecent gesture and then begging for financial aid. However, on Milos, Venus (Aphrodite) is not gesturing or begging. She remains a symbol of beauty and invites the world to travel with her to an impressive landscape.

“It’s clear that Greek economy needs tourism—one of the most important industries in Greece—to grow,” Eva Karamanou, general director of Amadeus Hellas, told GTP. The Greek tourism industry is currently under tremendous pressure in regards to the economic crisis and competition from other countries and, according to Amadeus Hellas, what is necessary right now are “efforts from all parties involved.”

The 15th Touristiko Panorama tourism exhibition took place this year in the center of Athens at the Zappeion Center courtyard (29 April-2 May).