Greece’s strong presence in Stockholm

The Greek Tourism Workshop, the premier promotional event for Greek tourism in the Swedish market, organized by Tourism Media & Events, was successfully completed on Tuesday, February 6th. The event brought together Greek tourism businesses and destinations with leading Swedish travel agents and industry professionals. It took place at KASTRO restaurant, in the heart of Solna, Stockholm’s fastest-growing business district.

Interest in the 2024 tourist season was exceptionally high, with Swedish participants—tour operators and media representatives—showing particular attention to the destinations and hotels that took part in the event. This enthusiasm lays the foundation for a highly positive outlook for the year ahead.

The event was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace was the Honored Region, while the Region of Central Macedonia, the Region of Crete, and hotel units from all over Greece also participated.

The workshop was honored by the presence of Mr. Pavlos Olziersky, Economic and Commercial Affairs Counselor of the Embassy of Greece in Sweden, who delivered a welcome address, praising the initiative and highlighting its potential in promoting Greek tourism in the Swedish market. Also attending was Ms. Vasiliki Tsiouplaki, Member of the Swedish Parliament.

Following the B2B meetings, the event included presentations by Ms. Patty Konstantinidou, member of the Tourism Promotion Team of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Ms. Marianna Skoularika from the Tourism Office of the Regional Unit of Kilkis (Region of Central Macedonia), and Dr. Kyriakos Kotsoglou, Deputy Regional Governor for Tourism & Digital Governance of the Region of Crete.

At the conclusion of the B2B sessions, participants of the Greek Tourism Workshop had the opportunity to enjoy an exceptional wine tasting experience featuring selected Greek wines from the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace.

It is worth noting that the upcoming events by Tourism Media & Events, aimed at promoting Greek tourism, will take place in Copenhagen on March 21, 2024, in Kuwait on April 16, 2024, in Cairo on April 23, 2024, in Tokyo on May 28, 2024, in Utrecht on October 24, 2024, in Chicago (USA) on November 20–21, 2024, and in Poland on December 9–10, 2024.

 

Greece among the top holiday choices for Hungarians in 2024

The Greek–Hungarian Tourism Workshop, a flagship event promoting Greek tourism in the Hungarian market, was successfully completed last Wednesday. Organized by Tourism Media & Events, the workshop brought together Greek tourism businesses and destinations with Hungary’s leading travel agents at the prestigious 5-star Parisi Udvar Hotel in the heart of Budapest.

Interest in the 2024 tourism season was exceptionally high, with Hungarian agents showing close attention to the participating destinations and hotels — a promising sign for a particularly strong year ahead.

According to data from Hungary’s Central Statistical Office, the number of Hungarian visitors to Greece continues to rise. From 115,000 travelers in 2014, the figure surpassed 369,000 in 2019, reaching similar levels again in 2023.

A total of 39 Hungarian travel agents participated, alongside nine Greek destinations and tourism enterprises. The event was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

The honored region for this year was Eastern Macedonia & Thrace, joined by the Regions of Central Greece and Crete, as well as hotel units from across the country.

The workshop was honored by the presence and greeting of Mr. Doukas Marinopoulos, Economic and Commercial Affairs Counsellor of the Embassy of Greece in Hungary, who emphasized the Embassy’s active role in promoting Greek tourism in the Hungarian market.

Following the B2B meetings, the program featured presentations by Ms. Patty Konstantinidou, Member of the Tourism Promotion Team of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace; Ms. Marianna Liaskou, Head of Tourism of the Region of Central Greece; and Dr. Kyriakos Kotsoglou, Deputy Regional Governor of Tourism & e-Governance of the Region of Crete.

After the completion of the B2B sessions, participants of the Greek Tourism & Gastronomy Workshop enjoyed an exquisite wine-tasting experience featuring fine Greek wines from Eastern Macedonia & Thrace.

 

Upcoming events by Tourism Media & Events promoting Greek tourism are scheduled in Nicosia (January 17, 2024), Stockholm (February 6, 2024), Prague (February 8, 2024), Copenhagen (March 21, 2024), Kuwait (April 15, 2024), Cairo (April 23, 2024), New York (May 14, 2024), Tokyo (May 28, 2024), Utrecht (October 24, 2024), Chicago, USA (November 20–21, 2024), and Poland (December 9–10, 2024).

Polish travelers keep Greece among their top picks for 2024

The Greek–Polish Tourism and Gastronomy Workshop successfully concluded last Wednesday, marking a major promotional event for Greek tourism in the Polish market. Organized by Tourism Media & Events, the workshop brought together Greek tourism enterprises and destinations with leading Polish tour operators at one of Warsaw’s most popular new venues, the ADN Conference Center.

Interest in the 2024 tourism season was exceptionally strong, with Polish agents showing remarkable enthusiasm for new destinations — a promising indicator for another highly positive year ahead.

From Poland, 49 travel agents participated, while the Greek delegation included 20 destinations and tourism businesses. The event was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, and the Embassy of Greece in Poland.

The honored region was Crete, joined by the Regions of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace, Central Macedonia, and Attica, as well as the Municipalities of Rethymno, Paros, and Katerini. Aegean Airlines served as the Official Air Carrier Sponsor, with additional support from Sky Express, Goldair Handling, Fraport Greece, Helexpo S.A., the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, and the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The workshop was honored by the presence of H.E. Ms. Nikki H. Kambas, Ambassador of Greece to Poland, who addressed the event, along with Ms. Nikoletta Nikolopoulou, Director of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) Office in Poland. Ms. Nikolopoulou presented important data on inbound tourism from Poland in 2023 and shared optimistic forecasts for 2024.

Following the series of B2B meetings, presentations were given by Dr. Kyriakos Kotsoglou, Deputy Regional Governor of Tourism & e-Governance (Region of Crete); Mr. Leonidas Tsiantis from the Tourism Planning and Coordination Department (Region of Central Macedonia); Ms. Maria Pantelous from the Tourism Promotion Department (Region of Attica); Ms. Patty Konstantinidou from the Tourism Promotion Team (Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace); Mr. George Baliouskas, B2B Sales & Distribution Director (Sky Express); and Ms. Lena Stefanoudaki, Business Support Officer (Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry).

Upcoming events by Tourism Media & Events promoting Greek tourism are scheduled in Budapest (January 10, 2024), Nicosia (January 17, 2024), Stockholm (February 6, 2024), Prague (February 8, 2024), and Copenhagen (March 21, 2024).

New York: Greece Emerges as a Magnet for Health Tourism

Americans show strong confidence in Greek luxury tourism

Greece is setting course for increased sales in the luxury tourism sector. This was the key takeaway from the Greek Luxury Tourism & Gastronomy Workshop, the country’s premier promotional event for luxury tourism in the United States, organized by Tourism Media & Events in New York City on Thursday, November 16, in Manhattan.

The event brought together 14 Greek companies, regions, municipalities, hotels, and tourism enterprises, who met with 63 travel agents and 6 distinguished journalists from across the United States.

Held in the heart of Manhattan, the workshop took place under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, and the Embassy of Greece in Washington, D.C. The Region of Attica was honored as the featured region, while Aegean Airlines served as the official airline sponsor.

The event’s sponsors included Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos,” Fraport Greece, Thessaloniki Port Authority, the Municipality of Rethymno, and the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels.

Presentations were given by the Region of Attica with Ms. Athina Kolyva, Head of the Tourism Directorate of the Region of Attica; the Region of Crete with Dr. Kyriakos G. Kotsoglou, Deputy Regional Governor of Tourism & E-Governance and member of the Regional Economic Committee of Crete; and the Region of Central Macedonia with Mr. Miltiadis Nikolaou, Head of the Tourism Department of the Region of Central Macedonia.

With a strong focus on the U.S. luxury tourism market, the event marked another important step by Tourism Media & Events in strengthening Greece’s presence in this high-end segment.

All participating Greek tourism professionals expressed enthusiasm, having each secured more than 20 appointments. As noted, hundreds of fruitful meetings and significant B2B sessions took place, offering participants expanded networking opportunities with representatives of U.S.-based luxury travel companies.

The event also allowed American tourism professionals to discover new destinations and products from the Greek luxury tourism market.

 

3rd Greek Tourism & Gastronomy Workshop Successfully Held in the Belgian Market

 

With the participation of 63 travel agents and 14 journalists, the 3rd Greek Tourism & Gastronomy Workshop was successfully held in the Belgian market on Thursday, October 26, 2023, at the Ghent Marriott Hotel.

During the event, which took place in a market full of potential for Greece, a flurry of business meetings was held between Greek tourism businesses and destinations and some of the most prominent tour operators in Belgium.

As evidenced by the strong turnout, interest in the Greek tourism offering was exceptionally high. Belgian travel agents showed particular eagerness to explore new destinations in Greece, a promising sign for a particularly positive 2024 for the Belgian travel market.

The event was organized by Tourism Media & Events (TME) with the support of the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Rural Development & Food, and the Embassy of Greece in Brussels.

As part of the event, Mr. Tzanetos Karantzis, Head of the Office for Economic and Commercial Affairs of Greece in Belgium, outlined the framework of Greek–Belgian relations in the fields of tourism and agri-food, and spoke about their encouraging prospects for further growth.

The Honored Region was the Region of Central Macedonia, while other participating regions included the Region of Crete, the Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace, the Municipality of Rethymno, the Municipality of Paros, among others.

Official Air Travel Sponsor of the event was Aegean Airlines, and the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels participated as an event sponsor.

Following the conclusion of the B2B meetings, the event featured presentations from the Honored Region of Central Macedonia by Ms. Argyro Papaioannou from the Tourism Promotion & Marketing Department of the Region, the Region of Crete by Mr. Nikos Alexakis from the Region’s Tourism Directorate, and the Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace by Ms. Patty Konstantinidou from the Tourism Promotion Department.

Finally, it is noted that the upcoming Tourism Media & Events activities promoting Greek tourism in 2023 include events in New York, targeting the North American luxury travel market, on November 16, and in Warsaw on December 13.

 

A Scent of Greece in Stockholm on April 27, 2023

The 1st Alternative Tourism & Gastronomy Workshop in the Swedish market, organized by Tourism Media & Events, was successfully completed a few days ago.

The event took place in Stockholm, a highly promising market for Greece, and was crowned with absolute success, as a series of business meetings took place between Greek tourism enterprises and destinations and the most prominent tour operators based in the broader area.

As the first significant tourism event after the pandemic, it managed to perfectly “bridge” the cultures of the two nations—cultures that, in essence, share many common elements, such as a love for the sun, the sea, hospitality, and good food.

This was confirmed both by the Swedish journalists—who were impressed by the regional presentations and the excellent organization of the event with Greek flavors—and by the highly successful and constructive meetings between Greek representatives and Swedish tourism professionals.

From start to finish, the atmosphere was warm and cheerful, as only Greek hospitality can offer, while new bridges of cooperation were built.

It is worth noting that the 1st Greek Alternative Tourism and Gastronomy Workshop in Sweden was attended by 47 tourism professionals and journalists.

The event was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Rural Development & Food.

The honored region was the Region of Western Greece, while other participants included the Region of Attica, the Region of Central Macedonia, the Region of Crete, the Loutraki Tourism Organization, the Municipality of Kos, among others. Official airline sponsor was Aegean Airlines and supporting sponsor was the “Greek Breakfast” initiative of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels.

The event was opened by Mr. Pavlos Mourmas, Director of the GNTO office in Scandinavia, while a welcome address was delivered on behalf of the Greek Embassy in Stockholm by Mr. Pavlos Olziersky, Head of Economic and Commercial Affairs of the Embassy.

Mr. Giorgos Kontorinis, Vice President of Solna, also welcomed the participants, making significant remarks regarding the dynamic presence of Hellenism in Sweden and the strong ties between the two nations.

Following the conclusion of the B2B meetings, presentations were delivered by Dr. Lavrentis Vasileiadis for the honored Region of Western Greece, by Dr. Kyriakos Kotsoglou, Deputy Regional Governor for Tourism for the Region of Crete, by Mr. Andreas Kiskinis for the Region of Central Macedonia, and by Ms. Maria Pantelous for the Region of Attica.

Lastly, it should be noted that the upcoming events of Tourism Media & Events in 2023 promoting Greek tourism will be held in Amman, Jordan on May 11, in Ghent for the Benelux market on October 26, in New York for the North American luxury travel market on November 14, and in Warsaw on December 12.

 

Greece Gains Ground in the Jordanian Market

The 1st Greek Luxury Tourism & Gastronomy Workshop was successfully completed a few days ago at the Sheraton Amman Al Nabil Hotel in Amman, Jordan, organized by Tourism Media & Events.

The event welcomed 107 Jordanian participants representing 67 travel agencies, along with 11 food market retailers, reflecting the high level of interest in the Greek market. In addition, senior representatives from the Jordan Tourism Board were also in attendance.

From the beginning to the end, the atmosphere was warm and joyful – the kind only Greek hospitality and gastronomy can create – laying the foundation for new collaborative bridges that are expected to yield results in the near future.

It is worth noting that the Jordanian participants showed strong interest in several Greek destinations that combine entertainment, shopping, and high-quality hospitality infrastructure. There was also significant enthusiasm regarding charter flights to destinations offering gaming opportunities, with casino tourism being of particular interest.

The 1st Greek Luxury Tourism & Gastronomy Workshop in Amman was held under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Rural Development and Food.

The event, held in a market that shows strong promise for Greece, was widely regarded as a great success—especially on the tourism front—as it featured a series of business meetings between Greek tourism enterprises and destinations with leading Jordanian travel agents.

The Workshop was officially opened by the Ambassador of Greece to Jordan, Mrs. Eleftheria Galathianaki, who, in her welcome address, highlighted the strong ties between the two nations and the potential for economic cooperation in multiple sectors.

The honored destination at the 1st Greek Luxury Tourism & Gastronomy Workshop in Amman was the Region of Central Greece, presented by Mrs. Marianna Liaskou, Head of Tourism for the Region. This was followed by a presentation from the Region of Crete by Dr. Kyriakos G. Kotsoglou, Deputy Governor for Tourism & e-Government and member of the Regional Economic Committee of Crete. Next, the Region of Attica was represented by Mrs. Athina Kolyva, Head of the Tourism Directorate, and finally, Mrs. Argyro Papaioannou from the Directorate of Tourism highlighted the unique offerings of the Region of Central Macedonia.

Lastly, it should be noted that the upcoming Tourism Media & Events workshops promoting Greek tourism in 2023 will be held in Ghent for the Benelux market on October 26, in New York for the North American luxury market on November 14, and in Warsaw on December 12.

 

Greece ranked among the top destinations for France in 2023

The 2nd Greek Tourism and Gastronomy Workshop for the French market, organized by Tourism Media & Events, was successfully completed a few days ago.

The event took place in Lyon, a particularly promising market for Greece, and was crowned with great success. It featured a flurry of business meetings between Greek tourism enterprises and destinations and leading travel agents and tour operators based in the wider region.

Interest in the 2023 tourism season was exceptionally high, as reflected by the strong participation, with French agents showing particular enthusiasm for new Greek destinations — a promising sign for a very positive year ahead from the French travel market.

A total of 37 travel agents attended the 2nd Greek Tourism and Gastronomy Workshop in France. The event was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Rural Development and Food, and the Embassy of Greece in France.

The honored region was Central Macedonia, joined by the Regions of Thessaly and Crete, as well as the Loutraki Tourism Organization, the Municipality of Karystos, and others. The official airline sponsor was Aegean Airlines, while the “Greek Breakfast” initiative of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels served as event sponsor.

The workshop was honored with a greeting from H.E. Mr. Dimitrios Zevelakis, Ambassador of Greece to France, who highlighted the strong bonds between the two nations and referred to the growing momentum of the French tourism market toward Greece, expressing optimism for an excellent year ahead in 2023.

Following the B2B meetings, presentations were delivered by Ms. Marianna Skoularika on behalf of the Region of Central Macedonia, Mr. Argyris Mergias representing the Region of Thessaly, and Mr. Nikos Alexakis, Head of Tourism Directorate for the Region of Crete.

Upcoming Tourism Media & Events initiatives promoting Greek tourism in 2023 include workshops in Stockholm on April 27, Amman (Jordan) on May 11, Ghent for the Benelux market on October 26, New York for the North American luxury market on November 14, and Warsaw on December 12.

Greece in the spotlight of the Balkan market

A sharp rise in tourism arrivals from the Balkan market to Greece is expected in 2023. According to industry experts, road arrivals are anticipated to increase by more than 40% compared to 2022, primarily from Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria.

This positive trend was further confirmed by the Road Show organized by Tourism Media & Events across the three previously mentioned countries, where demand for Greece as a travel destination proved remarkably strong.

At the same time, there was clear intent to expand both scheduled and charter flights from Romania and Serbia to various destinations in Greece.

The first stop of the “Road Show” | Greek Tourism Workshop by Tourism Media & Events took place in Belgrade on January 26, featuring the Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace as the honored region. Fifteen Greek tourism enterprises participated, holding more than 310 B2B meetings with leading tour operators and travel agents from Belgrade.

On January 25, a press dinner was held to promote Greece as a destination. The event was attended and addressed by H.E. Ms. Maria Levanti, Ambassador of Greece to Serbia; Mr. Aleksandar Senicic, Director of the Serbian Association of Travel Agents; Mr. Miodrag Popovic, CEO and General Director of the Belgrade Tourism Organization; and Mr. Athanasios Tsonis, Deputy Regional Governor of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace.

The “Road Show” then continued to Romania, specifically Bucharest, on January 31. Forty-two Romanian travel agents and tour operators engaged in productive meetings with thirteen Greek participants, including the Region of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace and tourism businesses from a range of Greek destinations.

A total of around 320 meetings took place, while on the previous evening, a press dinner was held to further showcase Greek tourism offerings. Greetings were delivered by H.E. Ms. Sofia Grammata, Ambassador of Greece to Romania, and Mr. Giorgos Stafylakis, Director of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) in Romania.

The final stop of the TME Greek Tourism Workshop in the Balkans was in Bulgaria, where 19 Greek representatives joined the event in Sofia on February 6. Participants included the Regions of Central Greece and Eastern Macedonia & Thrace.

More than 410 meetings were conducted, yielding highly promising results for Greece.

The event was attended and addressed by Mr. Dimitris Michas, Head of the Economic & Commercial Affairs Office at the Embassy of Greece in Sofia; Mr. Georgi Alipiev, representative of Bulgaria’s Ministry of Tourism; Ms. Dimitrina Goranova, President of the Association of Bulgarian Tour Operators & Travel Agents (ABTTA); Mr. Athanasios Tsonis, Deputy Regional Governor of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace; and Ms. Marianna Liaskou, Deputy Head of the Tourism Department of the Region of Central Greece.

Optimistic forecasts from Poland for Greek tourism in 2023

The Greek–Polish Tourism and Gastronomy Workshop, organized by Tourism Media & Events, concluded last Tuesday with resounding success, having facilitated 337 business meetings between Greek tourism enterprises and destinations and Poland’s leading tour operators.

Interest in the 2023 tourism season was exceptionally high, with Polish agents showing marked attention to new Greek destinations — a promising sign for a very positive year ahead.

From Poland, 64 travel agents took part, while Greece was represented by 23 destinations and tourism businesses. The event was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the Embassy of Greece in Poland, and the Central Union of Chambers of Greece.

The honored region was Central Greece, joined by Eastern Macedonia & Thrace, Crete, Central Macedonia, the Municipality of Rethymno, the Municipality of Nafpaktia, and the Municipality of Chalki. Aegean Airlines served as the official airline sponsor, with additional sponsorship from the “Greek Breakfast” initiative of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce.

The workshop took place at the Radisson Blu Sobieski Hotel and was honored by the presence and greeting of H.E. Mr. Michail Efstratios Daratzikis, Ambassador of Greece to Warsaw, and Ms. Nicoletta Nikolopoulou, Director of the Greek National Tourism Organization.

Following the B2B sessions, presentations were delivered by Ms. Marianna Liaskou, Deputy Head of the Tourism Department of Central Greece; Ms. Argyro Papaioannou from the Tourism Promotion and Marketing Department of Central Macedonia; and Mr. Nikos Alexakis, Head of the Tourism Directorate of Crete.

Upcoming Tourism Media & Events initiatives promoting Greek tourism in 2023 are scheduled for Belgrade (January 26), Bucharest (January 31), Sofia (February 6), Lyon (March 30), Kazakhstan and Sweden (early April), and Amman (May).