Greece was recently named “the most hospitable country in the world” by a German travel magazine. However, it is at risk from mass tourism. Commentary by Ronald Maynards in DW…
It is a distinction that essentially honors all Greeks. A major German travel magazine, ‘Travelbook’, has named Greece the most hospitable country in the world. This exceptional recognition is entirely in line with the general climate of growing sympathy for Greece in Germany. Just recently, a poll showed that two-thirds of Germans have a good or very good opinion of the country.
The driving force behind this modern “philhellenism” is mass tourism: More than five million visitors from Germany traveled to Greece last year – and the vast majority of them returned with positive or extremely positive impressions, as relevant surveys show. In addition to the sea, the sun, the climate and the gastronomy, the famous Greek hospitality plays a decisive role in the high ratings. In modern tourism, this has now become a strategic success factor.
Most people know this from personal experience: In the era of digital ratings of tourist services, especially hotels and restaurants, it is not only price and quality that count. Equally decisive is the feeling that the visitor is welcome and that he is treated with kindness and willingness – in short, the human factor of the service offered. Hospitality is nothing more than another expression of this factor.
Hospitality is not just a smile
Scientific studies in the field of tourism psychology show that hospitality means much more than a friendly smile at check-in or a kind word at the checkout of a souvenir shop. When experts try to define it, they use concepts such as authenticity, willingness to help, respect, openness and emotional warmth. In the luxury publications and advertising campaigns of the Greek tourism industry, the term “hospitality” has long occupied a central position – it is even presented as a characteristic feature of the Greek character and as a bridge between tradition and modern times.
“In Greek, we say hospitality is love and friendship towards strangers,” explains Nicole Lekanidi, director of the Hellenic Tourism Organization (EOT) in Frankfurt on the occasion of Greece being recognized as the most hospitable country in the world. “We are talking about true love. Greece is much more than sea, sun and beaches – it is its people. They express authentic love, warmth and joy of life”, emphasizes the representative of Greek tourism.
These are beautiful words, but they presuppose an almost unlimited kindness on the part of the population – a perfection that, of course, remains largely wishful thinking. Authenticity, willingness to help and emotional warmth – the foundations of hospitality – reach their limits when tourism becomes a mass phenomenon, in the often-cited “heavy industry” of the Greek economy.
Not a few visitors declare that they avoid certain islands or regions because there they meet almost exclusively other foreigners and very few Greeks.
Greek hospitality is a commodity of mythical proportions, a competitive advantage that thousands of people serve with devotion every day. However, it is just as threatened by mass tourism as its pristine landscapes or secluded beaches. The biggest threat to Greek hospitality is the routine that accompanies the “industrialization” of tourism. When politeness becomes a standardized obligation, it loses its soul – and with it the charm that makes it unique. The good news, however, is that, as recent research shows, Greece has not yet reached that point.
Source: DW | Dr. Ronald Maynardous is a Senior Research Fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP).
