Greece was recently named “the most welcoming country in the world” by a German travel magazine. But it is at risk from mass tourism. Comment by Ronald Maynardous. It is a distinction that in essence honors all Greek women and all Greeks. A major German travel magazine, ‘Travelbook’, highlighted Greece as the most hospitable country in the world. This exceptional recognition is completely part of 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. A decisive role in the high evaluations, beyond the sea, the sun, the climate and the gastronomy, is mainly played by the famous Greek hospitality. In modern tourism, this has now evolved into a strategic success factor.

Most people know this from personal experience: In the age of digital reviews 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 they are treated with kindness and willingness – in short, the human factor of the service offered. Hospitality is but 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 attempt 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 assumed a central place – it is even presented as a characteristic feature of the Greek character and a bridge between tradition and modern times.

“In Greek we say hospitality is love and friendship towards the foreigner”, explains Nicole Lekanidis, 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 the joy of life”, emphasizes the representative of Greek tourism.

These are fine words, but they presuppose almost unlimited goodness 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.

There are not a few visitors who state that they avoid certain islands or areas, because there they meet almost exclusively other foreigners and very few Greeks.

Greek hospitality is a good of mythical dimensions, a competitive advantage that thousands of people serve with devotion every day. However, it is equally threatened by mass tourism, as are unspoiled landscapes or secluded beaches. The biggest danger for Greek hospitality is the routine that accompanies the “industrialization” of tourism. When politeness becomes a standard 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.

Dr. Ronald Maynardous is Principal Researcher at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP).