Greece’s initiatives to further connect tourism with culture, as this is part of our strategy for the temporal and spatial expansion of tourism, were highlighted by the Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Olga Kefalogianni, at the Annual Summit of the World Travel and Tourism Council, which was held in Rome.
As she emphasized, “in Greece, we consider success in cultural tourism to be multidimensional as it is not measured only by economic indicators. The development of cultural tourism is not translated only into revenue. It creates jobs and provides business opportunities, especially for women and young people in the Greek region.”
In her intervention at the panel on “Rooted in Culture”, the Minister highlighted the crucial role of culture in shaping sustainable and authentic travel experiences. She clarified that the connection of tourism with cultural heritage is a strategic government choice, which contributes, among other things, to attracting new visitors from different profiles and emerging markets.
She pointed out that the promotion of Greece’s rich cultural capital through modern communication tools dominates the Ministry of Tourism’s strategy for sustainable and competitive tourism.
Ms. Kefalogianni also referred to the importance of the active participation of local communities, the creation of Destination Management and Marketing Organizations (DMMOs) for the sustainable management of destinations, as well as the need to protect and promote cultural heritage.
During her speech, she also presented a series of initiatives by Greece to highlight the country’s rich cultural capital through modern communication tools. Specifically, she said that through augmented and virtual reality applications, as well as special digital platforms, more personalized experiences and detailed information about attractions and events are provided.
“New technologies, such as artificial intelligence, are transforming the way we plan, experience and evaluate travel. Tools such as voice assistants, automatic translation and personalized recommendations are reshaping the way visitors interact with destinations.”
With her presence in Rome, the Minister of Tourism highlighted Greece’s multidimensional effort for the qualitative development of tourism, sustainability and authenticity, placing our country at the center of the international discussion on the role of culture in the tourism of the future.
On the sidelines of the Conference in Rome, the Minister granted interviews to leading Italian media outlets, including the Italian news agency ANSA with Greek journalist Mr. Theodore Andreadis-Syngelakis, while she had the opportunity to speak with official delegations from other countries and the heads of WTTC.
