The Ministry of Tourism and Google announced today their new cooperation for the acceleration of the green and sustainable transformation of the tourism industry of Greece, within the framework of the Delphi Economic Forum. The collaboration includes the creation of a new training program for small and medium-sized tourism enterprises, in collaboration with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC). At the same time, Google announced $ 1 million in funding from Google.org to support organizations that help social enterprises in Greece, with an emphasis on sustainability and ecotourism.

The transition of the Greek tourism industry to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly development model is a key priority in dealing with the inevitable consequences of the climate crisis. According to a new survey conducted by the Institute for Tourism Research and Forecasting (ITEP) on behalf of Google and the Hotel Chamber of Greece, three out of four hotel owners consider the implementation of sustainability practices crucial for the future of their business, with 79% expressing their interest in obtaining a viability certification. However, only 41% consider their level of knowledge about sustainability practices to be satisfactory.

Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias and VISA Europe CEO Charlotte Hogg signed a collaboration agreement  in Athens on Tuesday.

The Tourism Ministry will launch the public awareness campaign "Plastic-Free Santorini" aiming at spreading the message for the reduction of the overuse of plastics throughout Greece.