The strategy and initiatives for sustainable tourism development, with Greece emerging as a global model of quality, authenticity and sustainability, were presented by Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni during her speech at the Annual Conference of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE).
In her introduction, the minister underlined the importance of integrating sustainability principles into every aspect of tourism. From destination management, to the development of new special forms of tourism and their promotion, the strategy is to minimize negative impacts and maximize benefits for society and the economy.
“Sustainability is the foundation on which a resilient, competitive tourism sector is built. It concerns the economic empowerment of local communities, the preservation of the identity of destinations and cultural heritage, but also ensuring that the benefits of tourism are distributed fairly and remuneratively,” she noted.
After pointing out that the latest figures seem to confirm that 2024 will be the new reference year, while revenues are expected to reach up to 22 billion euros, Kefalogianni stressed that the high performance demonstrates the strong dynamics of the tourism sector, which not only contributes directly to income and employment, but also supports important other sectors of the economy, such as agricultural production, processing and trade.
