The group of journalists visited Lesvos from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 June 2020. Throughout their stay in Lesvos, the journalists were accompanied by Professor Nikos Zouros, President of the Hellenic & World Geoparks of UNESCO and Director of the Museum of Natural History of the Petrified Forests as well as its executives.

The rich tour program included an acquaintance with the Petrified Forest, the cultural monuments of the island, its gastronomy and the options for alternative tourism activities in Lesvos. At the same time, their program included meetings with local government and tourism agencies.

Tour of the city of Mytilene

Journalists had the opportunity to tour the city of Mytilene accompanied by journalist Stratis Balaska and get to know its long history as it is recorded through its monuments.

They also met with the President of the Lesvos Chamber, Mr. Evangelos Myrsinias, and discussed the situation and prospects of tourism development for the utilisation of the natural and cultural wealth of Lesvos and the various tourist activities it offers for visitors to the island.

Acquaintance with the Fossil Forest of Lesvos and the new works for the protection and promotion of fossils in the Fossil Forest Park

The journalistic mission, starting from Mytilene, crossed Lesvos in order to get to know the natural environment, landscapes and natural monuments of the island; the Geras Bay with its wetlands, the geotopes and hot springs in Therma, the main pine forest of their trapezoidal pine geopolitics of the ocean of Tethys, the wetlands of Kalloni, the volcanoes of central Lesvos, the Petrified Forest and the Museum of Natural History in Sigri.

They toured and were informed about the natural wealth of Lesvos and visited the wetland of the Gulf of Kalloni, the Petrified Forest Park, the new fossil carriers along the new road Kalloni – Sigri, the Museum and Skala Eressos.

They were welcomed by the Deputy Mayor for Volunteers, Culture and Youth, Mrs. Sugar Joachim and welcomed them on behalf of the Mayor of West Lesvos Mr. Taxiarchis Verros.

At the wetland of Kalloni Bay, they were informed by Mrs. E. Galinou, Environmentalist for the flora and fauna of Lesvos, which has contributed to the fact that Lesvos is considered a destination for bird watching and hundreds of bird watchers visit it every year.

Afterwards, they had the opportunity to see the protected area of the Petrified Forest of Lesvos and to visit the Park of the Petrified Forest. In recent years, special work has been carried out in the area of the Park to protect and highlight the fossil sites, which have led to the emergence of dozens of fossilised tree trunks of great scientific value under the Act “Maintenance and Promotion of Fossil Forest of Lesvos – Main Fossilized Area”.

At the Petrified Forest Park, they wandered among the standing and declining fossilised tree trunks that are 20 million years old and learned about the geological processes and phenomena that contributed to its creation.

They were impressed by the largest standing fossilised tree trunk in the world. It is a sequoia tree, with excellent preservation of the morphological features of a height of 7.02 meters and a perimeter of 8.58 meters.

At the Museum of Natural History of the Petrified Forest, they toured the permanent exhibition space of the Museum and showed special interest in the exhibits, discussing how to create the Petrified Forest and the techniques applied during the excavation and maintenance of the findings.

They got to taste the gastronomy of Lesvos through unique traditional dishes. The Women’s Association of Mesotopos offered journalists unique culinary experiences with delicacies specially prepared by the women of the Association with traditional products of the region. They were informed by the President Mrs. E. Pizza for the actions of the Agrotourism Associations of Lesvos for the promotion of its unique products.

They visited Skala Eressos where they were welcomed by the President of the Eresos Development and Promotion Agency Mr. Panagiotis Mantzoros and the Vice President Mrs. Ioanna Savva, who informed them about the actions of the Agency for the development of alternative forms of tourism in the region.

They referred to the cooperation with the Museum and the organisation of sports activities, the walking routes, the women’s festival, etc.

As it was emphasised, Eressos with its wonderful beach is an ideal destination for summer getaways.

Tour of Petra and Molyvos

On Sunday, June 28, the journalists visited V. Lesvos, where they had the opportunity to get to know the geological and cultural monuments of Petra and Molyvos.

Initially, they visited the traditional settlement of Petra, where they were welcomed and discussed on tourism issues by the Deputy Mayor of Tourism, Mrs. Aphrodite Vati and the Deputy Mayor for Administrative Services, Mr. Costas Pappos, who accompanied the journalists throughout their visit to the area.

They toured the traditional settlement of Petra and visited the church of Agios Nikolaos, climbed the impressive volcanic gorge on which the church of Panagia Glykophilousa is built and were informed about the tourist infrastructure of the area.

Then they visited the traditional settlement of Molyvos and the imposing Byzantine Castle. From the area of the Castle they had the opportunity to observe the great volcano of Lepetymnos, which created the impressive landscape of the area.

They then met with Mr. Nikos Molvalis, President of the Molyvos Tourism Agency and had the opportunity to get acquainted with the problems but mainly the possibilities that the area offers for its visitors and the efforts of the Agency to attract tourists.

The event took place at the Athenaeum InterContinental, with the participation of more than 200 hotels and tourism companies.

The institution of Greek Hospitality Awards rewards excellence in the field of Greek hotels, through a meritocratic process, in which the Evaluation Committee and the public both participate.

The awards are under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the Hellenic Tourism Organization, TIF Helexpo, the GEPOET , the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation and the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies HATTA.

510 companies participated and the top awards Top Greek Hotel 2019, Top Greek Resort 2019 and 6 honorary distinctions were awarded.

Mr. Ntigrintakis and Mrs. Nikoltsiou presented the awards, welcoming the guests, stating that the Greek Hospitality Awards 2019 are coming to reward and promote hotel companies, tourist offices and suppliers from the hospitality industry which innovate and offer creative solutions.

Mrs Elena Kountoura, Minister of Tourism and MP Mrs Olga Kefalogianni also addressed a greeting.

GREEK HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2018
With a brilliant ceremony in a packed hall of 400 people, the awards ceremony of the Greek Hospitality Awards 2018 took place on Friday, February 23, 2018, organised for the 4th consecutive year.

The event took place at Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso, with the participation of 149 hotels and tourism companies in the process, which were evaluated by a jury and the reading public of the magazine MONEY.

The awards are under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the Hellenic Tourism Organization, DETH Helexpo, the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourist Agencies and the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation.

Mr. Ntigrintakis and Mrs. Alevizou presented the awards, welcoming the guests.

Indicative of the dynamic of the Greek Hospitality Awards 2018 is the fact that the winners of the awards are then sent over to the Tour Operators Association of Russia, the Association of Tourist Agents of Great Britain, the Association of Tourist Offices of Germany and all tourist offices which participate in the Tourism Workshop 2018 in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Dubai and Lebanon.

Mr. Ioannis Amanatidis, Deputy Foreign Minister, Mrs. Evridiki Kourneta, Secretary General of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Mr. Athanasios Bouras, Deputy Head of Economy and Development, Attica MP ND also addressed the gathering.

GREEK HOSPITALITY AWARDS 2017
The Greek Hospitality Awards 2017 awards were completed with success, having taken place for the 3rd consecutive year with the participation of important hotels and a total of 14,722 votes.

Mrs. Elena Kountoura, Minister of Tourism and Mr. Manos Konsolas, Member of Parliament for the Dodecanese, Head of the Tourism Department of ND, Associate Professor, University of the Aegean also addressed the event.

Entitled “Why I Love Greece”, a unique 254-page album was released, written by fifteen correspondents from major media outlets living and working in Greece for years, each one choosing an area of ​​our country they loved the most.

The texts are framed by rich photographic material, both from the favorite areas of the correspondents and important international personalities who visited Greece from time to time.

The album was presented at a special event, held on Monday, February the 4th, at a central hotel in Athens, with  Deputy Foreign Minister Mr. Petros Doukas as the official speaker and the participation of writers/correspondents, mayors and their representatives from all 15 regions, as well as and representatives of the Ministry of Tourism Development and tourism agencies of the country.

Mr Doukas described the album as a “valuable tool for promoting Greek tourism”, quoting author Henry Miller as saying that “the easiest thing in the world is to fall in love with Greece”.

The Undersecretary of State said that “Greek tourism will take off when we manage to highlight our ancient culture and the decisive contribution of the ancient spirit to modern Western culture, so that foreigners come here to be taught”.

The correspondents who write in the album, are Kerin Hope (writes about Kardamyli of Messinian Mani), Adriana Flores-Borquez (writes about Chania), John Carr (writes about Epirus), Paul Anastazi (writes about Rhodes), Ayse Ferliel (writes about Kefalonia), Malcolm Brabant (writes about Santorini), Patrick Quinn (writes about Skyros), Didier Kunz (writes about Folegandros), Brian Williams (writes about Andros), John Rigos (writes about Tinos), Nikos Michalian (writes about Mykonos), Furio Morroni (writes about Leros), Yuri Malinov (writes about Evoia), Nigel Lowry (writes about Piraeus), Gillian Whittaker (writes about various parts of Greece).

It is noted that the album is supplemented by photos of international personalities from the file of photojournalist Telis Sarrikostas, who for many years was a photojournalist for the Associated Press and has recorded all the celebrities who visited our country.

Among the photos included in the album, the reader will see the Beatles in 1967 in Arachova, Melina Mercouri with Indira Gandhi in 1983 in Epidavros, Frank Sinatra with his wife in a tavern in Athens, John Wayne 1971 at a nightclub in the capital, Pelé, Arnold Schwarzenegger in front of the Acropolis, Vladimir Putin, Jane Fonda with her husband on the Acropolis, Marlon Brando, Hillary Clinton and dozens more.

As part of the event, the mayors or representatives of the destinations for which the correspondents write, honored the authors with souvenirs and thanked them for promoting their area.

The Municipality of Karystos opened its gates to media representatives of nationwide scope in an effort to promote the tourist destination and stimulate the local economy.

From Friday 12 June until Sunday 14 June, the Municipality of Karystos hosted journalists from “Kathimerini”, “Naftemporiki”, “Elefthero Typo”, “Phileleftheros”, “Proto Thema”, “Real” News”, “Athinorama”,“Athens Voice”, www.tourismtoday.gr, www.liberal.gr, www.capital.gr, www.in.gr, www.tanea.gr, www.news247.gr and from the television and the Radio Station “ALPHA”.

The invited journalists toured the sights of the area, the highlight of which was the visit to the Dragon House and the descent to Dimosari, while also enjoying the famous beaches of Karystos and the local gastronomy.

As part of the acquaintance trip, the first meeting for the development of a Trail Network took place at the Montofoli Estate, in the presence of invited journalists, as well as institutions and representatives of tourism.

The initiative of the Municipality of Karystos to organise, along with Tourism Media & Events the first acquaintance trip was well received by the participants and is actually part of a comprehensive action plan for the promotion and tourism development of the Municipality of Karystos.

The main goal was through this short stay, to bring the journalists in touch with the natural wealth and beauties of Karystos as well as to allow them to taste the quality local products; but mainly to feel, from Marmari and Karystos to Styra and Kafireas, the high level of hospitality of the locals.

With this action, the Municipality of Karystos seeks and expects that this unique experience lived by the media representatives will be transfered to the pages -electronic and printed-, on the radio, but also in the images of the television stations, so that its unique tourist identity can travel around Greece and make its competitive advantages widely known.

The Municipality of Karystos responds with a high sense of responsibility and strategy to the increased needs of the local economy, especially in this difficult period of the economic crisis that the pandemic of COVID-19 brings as a consequence.

In collaboration with professionals from the sectors of of tourism, trade, agricultural production and above all its citizens, the Municipality of Karystos faces with a plan, realism and optimism the new challenges that lay ahead.

And invites all summer travelers to safely “COME OVER”.