Trade Associations

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

The Organization of Tourism Education and Training (O.T.E.K) recently launched five career offices in Athens, Anavissos, Thessaloniki, Rodos and Heraklion so as to create a direct link between its graduates and potential employers.

Newly elected chairman of the board of directors of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE), Nikos Aggelopoulos (Aldemar Hotels & Spa), recently called for better coordination of tourism-related ministries and unification for the sake of sustainable tourism development in Greece at the association’s annual general assembly held recently.

The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) announced it would sponsor a weekly radio show entitled “Colors of Greece.”

Yiannis Evangelou, president of the Hellenic Association of Travel and Tourist Agencies (HATTA), recently voiced his concern for Europe as a travel destination on the Business & Travel show on “sbc” channel.

The Panhellenic Guide Federation (POXEN) recently sent an official letter of protest to the tourism development ministry following complaints made by visitors to Greece and tour guides with regard to the restricted opening hours of museum and archeological sites.

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.

Tourism Development Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos met Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis recently to discuss joint action and cooperation between the tourism development ministry and the City of Athens. Mr. Kaklamanis asserted, “Municipal administration considers the city’s economic development to be a key priority and since this development concerns mainly the city’s tourism identity it is imperative that our actions are coordinated.”

Member of the Greek Parliament with PASOK for Corfu, Angela Gerekou, recently questioned the tourism development ministry, the ministry of economy and finance and the ministry of development about the serious problems that appear in the statistics collected by the Greek National Statistics Service on observation of Greek tourism movement.

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.