The network of actions for “strong, competitive and sustainable tourism” presented, in the discussion of the program statements, the Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni who hastened from the preface to point out that Greece can become a globally attractive destination with a tourist season that will go beyond the few summer months and will extend for more time, taking advantage of its comparative advantages.

The Minister of Tourism included among the challenges that the tourism sector has to face the competition but also the “critical labor issues that accumulate and seek urgent solutions”, the issue of short-term leases for which the measure should soon be kept and a balance found.

Regarding the development of Greek tourism, as Olga Kefalogianni announced in particular:

– For sustainable tourism development, the interconnection of destinations should be completed and there should be a diffusion of visitors in the 13 regions, with a spatial and temporal extension of the tourist season. There will be establishment of Destination Management and Promotion Organizations for their sustainable development, with funding from the Recovery and Resilience Fund. A National Observatory of Sustainable Tourism Development will be established.

– The framework for standard integrated management tourist destinations will be specified. There will be quantitative and qualitative criteria, in collaboration with the relevant ministries.

– The completion of the Special Spatial Framework for tourism will proceed, there will be a modernization and rationalization of the institutional framework and the way of supporting and developing tourism, as a dynamic economic activity, with multiple benefits for society, the economy, the place.

– Rationalization of the institutional framework that governs the establishment and operation of tourist businesses and facilities, with the aim of strengthening entrepreneurship, simplifying procedures, ensuring the quality of tourist services provided and protecting the tourist product.

– There will be interventions in the operation of short-term leases in urban centers and in destinations with hypertourism phenomena. The measure of the interventions is the assurance of equal conditions of competition and the protection of the right of residence.

– A Research Center will operate for the collection and processing of quantitative and qualitative data, for maritime and coastal tourism, in the Eastern Mediterranean region.

– The tourism product will be enriched and diversified, with an emphasis on highlighting new products, new experiences and destinations.

– Special forms of tourism will be promoted, the institutional framework for business activities in thematic tourism will be strengthened and specialized. There will be actions for special forms of tourism and infrastructure projects for diving, mountain tourism and health and wellness tourism. Projects highlighting the country’s culinary tradition will proceed.

– The full absorption of the “tourism for all” program will proceed.

– There will be a more modern and communicative promotion of the Greek tourist product.

– The EOT is digitally modernized through the implementation of a special digital map, a digital repository of the cultural resources of Greece and the digital modernization of services abroad.

– Tourism education is upgraded and modern training programs are promoted for at least 180,000 tourism workers.