The Ministry of Tourism and GNTO won the award of the leading tourism agency in the world (vid)

NGTO was awarded at the World Travel Awards (WTA) 2020. Since 1993, WTAs have been awarded annually to organizations and institutions that excel in the tourism industry. The conquest of the highest distinction in this year's competition -under special challenges- highlights Greece as a universal reference point for the tourism industry.

Claiming the award for the leading tourism organization internationally, the Greek Ministry of Tourism and NGTO faced the best travel and tourism organizations from anywhere in the world. This year, due to health restrictions, the WTA was held online on Friday, November 25, and was broadcast worldwide from the Russian capital, Moscow. 

Welcoming the award, the Minister of Tourism Haris Theocharis said: "With great joy and pride we accept on behalf of our country the highest distinction of the WTA awards, an award that our country has won for the first time. Greece is fully entitled to the title of the Top Tourism Agency in the World. The international community recognizes our hard and methodical effort, the care for health and safety that we managed to offer to millions of tourists who were hosted this summer in Greece, the excellent work done by the private sector and employees and all those involved in the tourism process. The WTA award is a great distinction, which reflects the successful opening of Greece to tourism during the pandemic. It shows that our country, with prudence, seriousness and a spirit of solidarity, faced in the most effective way the adventure of COVID-19, a phenomenon that is considered as the biggest challenge for world tourism, at least during the last 20 years ".

The president of the Hellenic Tourism Organization, Angela Gerekou, stated that "this award is very important. As President of NGTO, I would like to thank the WTA for their support. Today, more than ever, it is our great responsibility to achieve the fastest possible and sustainable recovery of tourism. I dedicate this award to all the heroes and heroines of the tourism industry. I hope and wish that 2021 marks the beginning of a better future ".

The Secretary General of NGTODimitris Fraggakis pointed out that "the WTA award is an international recognition of the work done by the Ministry of Tourism and especially by the Hellenic Tourism Organization under adverse conditions in the past. In an unprecedented crisis we managed to stand up, to keep Greece high and this is recognized by the international community. It is, however, at the same time a vote of confidence in Greek Tourism as a whole, as everything we have achieved this year is the product of a collective effort of all those involved in the Greek tourism industry. This award ultimately belongs to all of us. "