Trade Associations

Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis, guest speaker at the recent general assembly of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises, told guests that tourism stands at the forefront of government priorities. “Tourism brings us more revenue than the total of all our country’s exports,” he said. “Tourism gives life, riches and employment to our country’s regions (such as the islands and mountain areas) that lack other productive possibilities.”

Speakers at the last month’s general assembly of the Panhellenic Hoteliers’ Federation told hoteliers that the worse is yet to come for small and mid-size hotels. “Only the big hotel units that offer a brand-name product and our unique small city hotels will survive within the tourism business market in the coming years,” said federation member Andreas Andreadis.

Members of the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourism Agents were told during their general assembly last month that the policy leaders within the tourism development ministry would soon change the legislative framework on travel office operations, and would examine the possibility of including agencies within the govern-ment’s new development law. Guest speaker at the general assembly, Deputy Tourism Development Minister Anastassios Liaskos, also stressed that the ministry strongly supports travel agencies that specialize in theme tourism, and that his ministry is looking at ways in which to include agencies within the government’s social tourism program.

Representatives from the 22 room and apartment rental associations throughout Greece arrived in Athens last month to attend the annual general assembly of the Business Federation of Rented Rooms and Apartments of Greece.

The Olympic Stadium complex will become a center for sport, tourism and recreation, while two museums will be built on the site of the International Broadcasting Center, according to a recent announcement from the ministry of culture.

Greece’s tourism ministry plans to turn the public end of the tourism sector into a gigantic tourism mechanism with 37 directorates and 72 tourism offices at home and abroad, according to recent reports.

Tourism ties between India and Greece were recently strengthened with the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Indian Association of Tour Operators and the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourism Agents. The signing took place last month during the 5th World Travel & Tourism Council Global Summit held in New Delhi.

There is something really wrong in Athens. The country’s capital has been on the positive side of world news for months now, and almost everyone you talk to abroad say they want to visit the city, yet latest reports reveal that Athens hotel occupancy rates continue to fall to levels where it’s difficult for a unit to break even.

The World Travel & Tourism Council released its 2005 travel and tourism forecasts for 174 countries and the world and an assessment of the impact of the Indian Ocean Tsunami on the industry at the recent 5th Global Travel & Tourism Summit in New Delhi, India. It also accepted Greece’s bid to hold the council’s next summit.

For once, Greece is grabbing every opportunity to promote itself as a tourism destination. Last month, Aristides Kalogeropoulos, president of the Hellenic Tourism Organization, held a press conference to announce the organization’s close cooperation with Eurovision star Elena Paparizou who will once more represent Greece this year at the Eurovision song contest.