Greece’s new tourism campaign to focus on new markets, affluent travelers

Speaking during the launch event of the EBRD’s property and tourism strategy in Greece, Fragakis referred to the Tourism Ministry’s main goals to accomplish for the country’s tourism product over the next five to ten years.

“Greek tourism is doing well, but that does not mean it will always do well. So, we have to be prepared for the best and the worse,” he said, underlining that the country’s most important goal is to maintain its visitor numbers at the level they are at present.

“Our second aim is to increase our share in the tourism market, in the coming years, through a very well coordinated and well organized plan,” Fragakis said.

Regarding these goals, he said the Greek Tourism Ministry and the GNTO have already begun to change the country’s tourism strategy for 2020, due to the recent developments that resulted from Thomas Cook’s bankruptcy.

“This strategy will be based on promoting the country abroad but in a different way and with a different targeting, in terms of the visitor status we want to attract,” Fragakis said, underlining that customers of tour operators are of course welcome but should not monopolize the Greek tourism product.

“The campaign we are planning for 2020, which we expect to launch much earlier than any other year, will focus precisely on new markets and affluent travelers, but it will also look to keep our visitor numbers as they are today,” he said.

Moreover, Fragakis said that although the Thomas Cook incident may have “frightened” the private sector and the government, Greek tourism is built on very solid foundations.

“Greek tourism can do even better in the future and I think that with the help of all, we will have much better results in the coming years,” he said.

Moreover, the GNTO’s secretary general said that developing the steps towards sustainable tourism is challenging for Greece.

“This is extremely important and we must all work on this more, because it involves many players – ministries, municipalities, regions and private sector businesses – who must all work together,” he stressed.