“You in Greece” campaign – Facts about Greece

  Facts about Greece

· Greece is a safe country

Supportive data: According to Legatum Prosperity Index, Greece faces comparatively few security challenges. Domestic security is favorable. Moreover, according to Eurostat, Greece is a country with a relatively low rate of criminality. The feeling of security is well established in society.
· Greece is an attractive destination.
This comes not only due to its physical beauty but mostly due to the “value for money” relationship in the provided services.
Supportive data: According to a poll, conducted in a population of 1200 people,52% of the sample believes that the quality of travel services offered in Greece are of very good standard and 42% believes that the travel services offered in Greece rival those offered in other touristdeveloped tourist markets.

· Greece is a western democracy and the majority of Greek society supports government policy.
Supportive data: A recent research conducted by Kapa Focus research company on behalf of the weekly Newspaper ‘To Vima’, shows that 55,2% of Greeks support the austerity measures imposed by the Greek Government.
·  Demonstrations are strictly local and limited events/occurrences. They take place mostly in the center of Athens, in a specific and controlled area. The mainland regions and the islands of the Greek Archipelago, where the vast majority of tourists go, are not affected at all.
Supportive data: According to Eurostat, Greece is a favourite destination. Especially, in South Aegean and Ionian Islands, it appears that 48.168 stays and 33.304 per 1000 citizens took place, a proof of satisfaction for the Greek touristic product.
· Greece is a tourist country and Greeks know the importance of hospitality.
Supportive data: Zeus, the King of the Greek Gods, according to the Greek Mythology, named as Xenios (the one who offers hospitality) Zeus.
·  The overall number of demonstrations in Greece is lower than the E.U average.
Supportive data:All demonstrations occurred in Athens, in specific and isolated areas. In their vast majority they were peaceful.

· The picture that global media paint is, to say the least, in many cases exaggerating. In many occasions, library images were re-broadcasted as live feeds.
Supportive data: Greece is a pluralist, democratic western European country. Media freedom is protected and encouraged. During the last two weeks Greece hosted more than 300 foreign journalists.
(Greek National Tourism Organisation)

Greece: Shielding from Swine Flu

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   “Greece is one of the safest tourist destinations in the world, in terms of precautions taken against A/H1N1. The country’s percentage of people infected so far remains one of the lowest in comparison to other tourist destinations in the region”, minister of Health Dimitris Avramopoulos stressed at a press conference aimed to inform the public on Greece’s crisis management plan for the months ahead.  The measures to be taken -all in line with the World Health Organisation and European Union’s guidelines- include “the purchase of the appropriate vaccine which will be ready as of the end of September”, the minister highlighted.

Athens: Safer Internet Days

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The awareness campaign and the Athens office of the European Commission’s Safer Internet Day are holding a conference “Safer Internet Day 2009” today February 10 at the Press Centre of the Secretariat General of Communication – Secretariat General of Information in Athens. 

Sweet Substitute is Being Grown in Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   A natural substitute for sugar without any of the adverse consequences on health is being grown experimentally in the prefecture of Karditsa, in northern Greece, in what were once tobacco fields, now being phased out under a subsidised withdrawal programme. The stevia crop, once it receives EU approval, which is reportedly pending, could be a lifeline for redundant tobacco farmers, and provide a healthier alternative to artificial sweeteners. Stevia leaves are a source of natural chemicals, such as stevioside, which is 300 times sweeter than sucrose and as sweet as artificial sweeteners, but which has almost no calorie content. Athens Plus: Safe sugar substitute being grown in Greece [p.22] More Gourmet Greece Initiatives: Hellenic Foreign Trade Board: Kerasma – Greek Mediterranean Gastronomy Mediterranean cousine: Gourmed – Taste the Med Epikouria magazine: Issue 7 Fall/Winter 2008 & Media Kit 2008