Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said developing unique tourist experiences to be offered year round would contribute to extending the tourist season in Greece, which is one of the government’s key challenges.
In a discussion with the President of the European Travel Commission (ETC), Luis Araujo, during the two-day “EU Tourism: Resilience in the Era of the Climate Crisis” forum held on Rhodes this week, Mitsotakis underscored the pivotal role of innovative experiences that utilize Greece’s vast cultural capital.
The forum, which was attended by the country’s tourism bodies as well as major sector associations from Europe, focused on actions needed on EU and national levels to accelerate the transition towards a more sustainable tourism model amid escalating climate change.
Among others, Mitsotakis proposed the development of special forms of tourism which could attract visitors all year round and which in turn would help alleviate overcrowding during peak months while generating long-term economic and environmental benefits.
Looking to the future, Mitsotakis said he envisioned Greece as a premier destination which was not solely reliant on peak season tourism but on year-round tourist activity.
Lastly, Mitsotakis said he hoped that in 10 years’ time, travelers will know of Greece as “the best destination in the world”.
During the Rhodes event, organized by HOTREC with the support of the South Aegean Region, Europe’s tourism industry associations signed a joint declaration pledging to address emerging challenges posed by climate change.
