With the aim of strengthening Greece’s tourism promotion, expanding collaborations with key industry partners, and showcasing Greek destinations to the US market, the Secretary General of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), Mr. Andreas Fiorentinos, has been in New York since Tuesday, 02/12/2025, where he carried out a series of targeted meetings and actions:
Meeting with the Consul General of Greece in New York
Mr. Fiorentinos met with the Consul General of Greece in New York, Ms. Iphigenia Kanara, at the Greek Consulate. The meeting focused on issues related to GNTO’s priorities in the American market, as well as opportunities for coordinating public diplomacy and tourism outreach actions in cooperation with the consular authorities.
Meeting with Emirates – Strengthening air connectivity
The GNTO Secretary General met with Mr. Matthew Jones, Senior Representative for Emirates in the USA, with the main agenda being air connectivity between Greece and the USA and the prospects for its further development. The agenda included:
– assessment and prospects of the capacity of the direct Newark–Athens flight,
– exploration of additional flights to/from the USA,
– opportunities for co-marketing campaigns for 2026 and the co-organization of joint promotional activities,
– the possibility of jointly organizing and implementing fam trips and press trips to enhance the promotion of Greek destinations and further penetrate the US market.
Mr. Fiorentinos emphasized the importance of the steadily growing demand for Greece, as well as the strategic role of air connectivity in extending the tourism season and attracting high-value visitors.
Presentation of Halkidiki at the Greek Consulate – Promotion to Greek-American media
A presentation of the Municipality of Halkidiki to Greek-American media was held at the Greek Consulate in New York. During the event, the Municipality of Aristotelis presented the project titled “Aristotle, Companion,” which highlights the region’s unique cultural heritage and enriches its tourism narrative with an emphasis on experience, history, and authenticity.
Attendees included:
– GNTO Secretary General Mr. Andreas Fiorentinos,
– Mayor of the Municipality of Aristotelis, Mr. Stelios Valianos,
– Consul General of Greece in New York, Ms. Iphigenia Kanara,
– Mr. Matthew Jones (Emirates), who attended the presentation and exchanged views on potential links between destination promotion and airline marketing initiatives,
– the Presidium of the Pan-Macedonian Association of New York,
– the full set of Greek-American media outlets in New York.
The first day of the program concluded positively, confirming the strong momentum of the US market and the importance of GNTO’s targeted collaborations with institutional and business partners for the further development of Greek tourism. The GNTO Secretary General continues his meetings with key stakeholders of the US tourism industry.
