
The Museum of Natural History of the Petrified Forest of Lesvos participated with very positive results in the 1st Greek Alternative Tourism Workshop Warsaw 2019 held in Warsaw, Poland.
The event was organized by Tourism Media & Events, sponsored by the Hellenic Tourism Organization (EOT) and was under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the Greek Embassy in Poland and the Hellenic-Polish Chamber of Commerce and Investment.
The Museum of Natural History of the Petrified Forest of Lesvos was represented by Dr. Elias Valiakos, who presented the options for visiting the Petrified Forest and the Lesvos Geopark, putting special emphasis on the activities of alternative forms of tourism available.
The event attracted the interest of the Polish tourist market, which is among the top markets for tourists for Greece. The choice of the Polish market was made based on the interest in the Greek tourist product and the dynamic of the country itself, as Polish tourists are lovers of alternative tourism and travel to Greece all year round.
The event was attended by the Ambassador of Greece to Poland Mr. M. Daratzikis and was attended by a large number of Polish Tourist Agents and Tour Operators, representatives of leading tourism websites, many journalists and Polish businessmen who were provided with a flourish of information for the country and in particular, the alternative tourism activities it offers.
Apart from the Museum of Natural History of the Petrified Forest of Lesvos, the PsiloritisGeopark and the SitiaGeopark also participated in the event. Also present were the Tourist Organization of Halkidiki, the Municipality of Volos as well as representatives of hotel units and alternative tourism companies from Greece.
During the event, B2B meetings were organized with specialised agents of the Polish market. The meetings were organized by a Polish PR company, which had invited both agents and local media. During the B2B meetings, the Fossilized Forest of Lesvos and the unique natural and cultural wealth of Lesvos were presented in detail by Mr. Elias Valiakos.
Special mention was made of the Museum Network of Lesvos and the possibilities of visitors to get to know the Museums of Lesvos and their activities. At the same time, information was provided for the outdoor Parks of the Petrified Forest, the alternative tourism activities the island offers, such as walking, cycling, sailing, bird watching, as well as the female agro-tourism cooperations and the local producers, who offer high quality services to visitors, promoting the local products and gastronomy of Lesvos.
Throughout the event, special screens showed images from Lesvos, the Petrified Forest, the Museums of Lesvos and the alternative tourism activities. At the same time, the participants were given printed material which promoted the special characteristics of the destinations.