About 20 million euros “entered” the economy of Attica from the recent Marathon, in which 18,000 foreign runners participated, while another 25 million euros was the turnover generated in three days by the “Acropolis Rally” of 2021 and in areas outside Athens
Its turnover is estimated to reach 1.8 billion dollars sports tourism worldwide in 2030, compared to $1 billion today, a huge market, from which Greece has the possibility to take a share, as pointed out by the secretary general of the Hellenic Tourism Organization (EOT), Dimitris Fragakis, speaking today at the central conference of the 37th Philoxenia international exhibition, in Thessaloniki. Indicatively, Mr. Fragakis stated that approximately 20 million euros “entered” the economy of Attica from the recent Marathon, in which 18,000 foreign runners participated, while another 25 million euros was the turnover generated in three days by the “Rally Acropolis” of 2021 and in areas outside Athens. In addition, the International Cycling Tour in Greece, which took place last April, was shown on 28 foreign channels, ensuring in our country a promotion that, if the competent bodies had paid for it, would have cost 17 million euros, i.e. 50% of the annual budget of the EOT.
Among the fastest growing sectors of tourism in Greece is sports, according to the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism, Lefteri Avgenakis. As he said, addressing the organization, sports tourism corresponds to 12.2% of the global tourism market, adding that the development impetus that tourism generally gives to the economy is huge. For his part, the Deputy Minister of the Interior (Macedonia-Thrace), Stavros Kalafatis, characterized sports tourism as one of the largest industries worldwide, pointing out however that the benefit from it is not only translated in terms of extroversion and economy, since it is linked to well-being , well-being and quality of life and for this reason it must be of primary importance for all states.
The contribution of sports tourism not only to the national, but also to the local and regional economy, but also to the service of the 17 sustainable development goals, which have been set by the UN, was mentioned by the head of the tourism department of SYRIZA, Katerina Notopoulou, speaking of great potential further development of the sector and reminding that more than 270 events take place on the axis of the ancient Egnatia Road, from Thrace and Macedonia, to Epirus, with obvious benefits.
A big event is coming to Thessaloniki in September
At least one major sports event every month in Thessaloniki: this is the goal of the central municipality, as pointed out by the mayor, Konstantinos Zervas, addressing the event. “I even want to believe that in September we will have a big surprise in Thessaloniki” regarding the undertaking of the event, he underlined, without however giving further details, pointing out that the developments should be finalized before more announcements are made. “To succeed in sports tourism, we need to pay attention to two things: firstly, the infrastructure and secondly the attraction of major events. As for the first ones, we are behind, but things are happening” he said, stressing that the goal is to create “courts in every neighborhood”. As an example, he mentioned the six stadiums being built in New Switzerland, including two major football and one basketball stadiums.
Thermaikos will be filled with sailboats in 2024, as Thessaloniki – and specifically the Nautical Club (NOTH) – took over the 420/470 European Youth Sailing Championship, following a unanimous decision of the general assembly of the Class 420 in Hungary, as reminded by the Metropolitan vice-governor of Thessaloniki and president of the Tourism Organization, Voula Patoulidou. He also described how other European cities have over the decades capitalized on hosting major sporting events, citing the example of Barcelona, which since 1992 (when Spain hosted the Olympics) has been collecting revenue, “because it sells whatever good he had done then.”
The belief that Greece has missed the train of utilizing the sports infrastructures created for the 2004 Olympiad and was unable to build on the organization of the Olympic Games, as Spain did for example, was expressed by the Deputy Regional Governor for Tourism, Alexandros Thanos, who however, he referred to the benefits of the running movement that has developed in Thessaloniki in recent years, ensuring the city’s extroversion and attracting athletes from abroad to Northern Greece.
5000 nights in Heraklion, only from coaching tourism
The assessment that the good relations between Greece and Armenia could be further extended in the field of sports, by jointly undertaking sports events, was expressed by Akis Dagazian, honorary consul in Thessaloniki of the Republic of Armenia, honored country of the 37th Philoxenia, while the mayor of Heraklion, Vassilis Lambrinos, pointed out on behalf of the honored municipality of this year’s exhibition, the great benefits that sports tourism has for the city. Through the infrastructures that were created, such as the Pankritio Stadium and the New Indoor Gymnasium, he said, Heraklion has hosted international level events, with benefits both directly (due to the arrival of hundreds or even thousands of athletes and their companions) and indirectly (thanks to in the international promotion of the region, through sports events, which creates added value). In fact, as the deputy mayor of Heraklion Sports, Kostas Vardavas, pointed out at the same event, the benefits for Heraklion are also great from training tourism, as more than 5,000 overnight stays have taken place in the city for team members, who are preparing in Crete for sports events, e.g. athletics ._
Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.
I have worked as a journalist for over 10 years, and my work has been featured on many different news websites. I am also an author, and my work has been published in several books. I specialize in opinion writing, and I often write about current events and controversial topics. I am a very well-rounded writer, and I have a lot of experience in different areas of journalism. I am a very hard worker, and I am always willing to put in the extra effort to get the job done.
