The Greek Minister of Tourism, Vassilis Kikilias, has stressed for the start of the tourist season on March 1st.

“The way we handled the pandemic was crucial, while all the other Mediterranean countries were closed in 2020, we opened up. And last year, when everyone believed that revenues from tourism would be 5-6 billion euros, they reached 10.5 to 11 billion euros, a huge contribution to the Greek economy and trade. I did not make predictions in the pandemic and I will not do so now, but I see that instead of mid-April, we should start on March 1st. I see that the first cruise ship has already gone to Thessaloniki and to Volos as well. We will have 765 cruises, 55% of which will have home ports in Piraeus, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, and the Greek islands. Furthermore, there is a current ‘battle’ between the airlines on who will take the lead in slots, that is, parking spaces at Greek airports in order to bring more people,” the Minister said in a recent interview with MEGA TV.

Remaining on the tourism agenda, Mr. Kikilias noted that the Ministry of Tourism collaborates with everyone. “We cooperate with the Regions, that is why yesterday [Wednesday, February 9] I convened the Regional Tourism Council with the 13 Regional Governors, the Municipalities, hoteliers, the private sector and tour operators, and with the hundreds of professions and the hundreds of thousands of employees in Greece that rely on tourism for their livelihoods, which is the locomotive of the economy,” he added.

By focusing on the promotion of Greek destinations, the Mr Kikilias added that the Ministry will also promote destinations that are not always first choice options. “It is not only the 3-3.5 Regions that bring Tourism. The others are entitled to have a share in this success,” he stressed. In any case, safety continues to be the first priority for travelers, the minister added, and for this, Greece is in pole position.

This article was previously published in Greek at moneyreview.gr.