With the central message of the importance of cooperation between the Central Administration and the Local Government for a sustainable and balanced tourism development, Deputy Minister of Tourism Anna Karamanli represented the Ministry of Tourism at the Annual Ordinary Conference of the Central Union of Municipalities of Greece (KEDE).
Ms. Karamanli emphasized the strategic importance of tourism for the national economy and underlined the decisive role of local communities in shaping the tourism experience. “The success of Greek tourism is built daily in local communities, where the visitor encounters Greek hospitality and our culture,” she said.
The Deputy Minister highlighted the steady growth path of Greek tourism and its contribution to the local economy, noting that the country is “gradually winning the bet of extending the tourist season,” which creates more opportunities for employment and income in local communities.
Presenting the Ministry’s strategy for an integrated, sustainable and qualitative development, Ms. Karamanli emphasized that sustainable tourism development “is not a fragmented policy, but a horizontal priority in every action of the Ministry.”
He made particular reference to island and mountainous Greece, presenting targeted initiatives that are already underway, such as:
the upgrading of tourist ports and beach accessibility projects,
the creation of the Coastal and Marine Tourism Observatory in the Eastern Mediterranean,
the development actions of mountain tourism and the modernization of ski resorts and mountain refuges through the Recovery and Resilience Fund,
as well as the establishment of the new form of special tourism infrastructure “Sustainable Mountain Tourism Destination”.
As he emphasized, “supporting island and mountainous areas is not just a political choice. It is an obligation for a fair and balanced development throughout the country”.
The Deputy Minister’s presence at the KEDE Conference highlighted the importance of synergy between tourism policy and local government, with the common goal of shaping a modern, sustainable and competitive tourism development model for Greece.
