Greece is launching a new initiative to support digital nomads by facilitating their working conditions, Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias announced at the Next is Now conference on Wednesday.

“We are starting the implementation of an initiative in cooperation with the private sector – firstly with [telecommunications provider] Wind – and I believe that it will be expanded. The companies will provide better internet connection packages,” the minister said, stressing that “the Tourism Ministry, for its part, undertakes the obligation to cooperate with local government in order to facilitate the residence of the digital nomads in cooperation with accommodation and catering sector businesses, so that people can organize their lives where they live,” adding that this collaboration formed part of the ministry’s strategy for extending the tourism season.

“We are starting at a pilot level with Ermoupoli [on Syros], Iraklio [Crete] and Kalamata [Peloponnese] and it will soon be extended to all of Greece,” he said.

“Many visitors spent last winter on our islands or at other destinations while working remotely using their computers and this is a global trend. Digital nomads are a piece of the pie we would like in the country. It mainly supports off-season tourism,” Kikilias added, noting that more initiatives are in the works.

This article was previously published at ekathimerini.com.