Quality, balance, sustainability the main goals of next tourist season, Zacharaki says
Deputy Tourism Minister Sofia Zacharaki in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) focused on the prospects of next year, stressing that 2022 will be a springboard for even better performance, based on the powers of Greek tourism that have now been recognised.
"Saying goodbye to a year of strong recovery for tourism, the conditions for an even more dynamic year in 2022 are created. We have proved that we can and we will succeed," Zacharaki said.
"With the positive imprint of the past year on tourism, Zacharaki reminded that Greece achieved a qualitative leap by increasing the average cost per visitor by more than 25 pct, while diversifying the markets and the visitors is a valuable legacy for the future. As a consequence of all this, Greece is recognized by friends and competitors as the protagonist of the recovery of European tourism. And the dynamic growth of our tourism was the catalyst for the overall excellent performance of the Greek economy, with growth of 13.4 pct in the third quarter and an increase of more than 84 pct in exports of services, mainly as a result of tourism," she explained.
Regarding the new year, the tourism ministry's main concern is the upcoming tourism development of the country to have three main characteristics: quality, balance, sustainability. And these goals are achieved primarily through the development of alternative tourism, she said.