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“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)

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Amorgos at Polish tourist magazine H2O

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) In the April issue of the Polish tourist magazine H2O, Marek Slodownik introduces the Cycladic island of Amorgos to the lovers of sailing and “the deep blue.”

The article provides readers with tips on how to enjoy sailing, while gazing at the coasts of Amorgos, as well as information on the island’s history and hidden tourist attractions such as locations where the famous film “The Big Blue” was shot.
The author reports that Greece is a favoured destination for Polish tourists, as approximately 250,000 visit the country every year.
Visit Greece: www.visitgreece.grGreek islands

Hellas:from Tourism to World Heritage

» “Kalimera”…It’s a Way of Life

“Kalimera”…the Greek word for ‘good morning’ is the new slogan for the advertising campaign of the Greek National Tourism Organization and Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

The 2010 campaign was unveiled by the Deputy Minister of Tourism Angela Gerekou on March 8, and is based on a redesigned pattern of previous campaigns with the addition of the well-known greeting in the Greek language.
The campaign will be available through the renewed portal of Hellenic Tourism Organisation at the web address www.visitgreece.gr.
Kathimerini Daily: ‘Kalimera’ is the country’s new tourism motto    

» A Popular Tourist Destination

Greece is the fourth most popular tourist destination in the European Union for 2010, according to a new Eurobarometer survey on “The attitudes of Europeans towards tourism.”
The EU Eurobarometer poll unveiled on March 8 shows that tourism is one of Europe’s most important service industries, accounting for 5% of Europe’s GDP and 6% of employment. Greece is the fourth most attractive tourist destination, after Spain, Italy, and France. 
European Commission: Tourism-Upbeat Prospects for 2010 Season  

» “Med Diet” to Be Recognised by UNESCO 

The town of Koroni in Messinia Prefecture will represent Greece in an initiative put forth by four Mediterranean countries to have the “Mediterranean Diet” recognised by UNESCO as a cultural heritage of humanity. 
Koroni from Greece, Cilento from Italy, Soria from Spain and Chefchaouen from Morocco will join forces to ask the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) to include the diet to its World Heritage List.
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

The destiny of Greek Tourism

» Expected Recovery

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) According to a survey conducted by the Academy of Tourism Research and Studies, Greek tourism will recover this year, with tourist arrivals expected to rise by 8.6%, compared to 2009.
The report by ATEM predicts that foreign tourists visiting Greece will reach 15.5 million in 2010, on condition that there is an upturn in world’s economy.

Greek National Tourism Organisation: www.gnto.gr

» Alternative Tourism

Exploring caves, rafting and trekking is just a small part of the activities offered to tourists who do not like crowded vacation destinations and choose alternative tourism.
More examples include medical tourism – which started in Ancient Greece – as well conference and wedding tourism (accommodations, transport, beauty treatments, flower arrangements, and much more).
A conference titled “New Trends in Tourism: benefits & prospects for women,” organised by the Thessaloniki Organisation for Women’s Employment & Resources (TOWER), aims at presenting and discussing various new trends in tourism. Topics to be explored include eco / agro-tourism, health & wellness tourism, and raising awareness about career opportunities available for women in tourism.
See also Greek News Agenda: Alternative Tourism

Greece: Shielding from Swine Flu

swine-flu1(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.

Greece: Top Tourist Destination for Australians

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Greece is among the top tourist destinations of Australian travelers for 2009 despite concerns that Greek tourism would be faced with problems stemming from the global economic crisis. Tourists looking for an endless summer, an alternative stop-over city, or wishing to get acquainted with the European civilisation will choose one of the popular destinations such as Greece, according to Australian tour operators Flight Centre.  Greece offers simple pleasures and affordable holidays to visitors, such as sailing activities in reasonable prices, locally produced wine, beautiful beaches and romantic sunsets, traditional villages and small islands where nature’s surprises are abundant, the Australian tour operator underlines. Traveldailynews.com: Greece tops Aussie tourism list Secretariat General of Information: About Brand Greece – Tourism/Hotel and Resort Infrastructure  

Snapshots from Greek History

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  Life Magazine’s historic photographic archive is now available on line through Google’s Image Search function. Out of 10 million photographs, Life Magazine (www.life.com) has already digitised 20%.  Photographs which revolve around Greece’s political, cultural and social life stretch through the period 1948-1968.  One may browse through the Life collection by theme (Civil War in Greece, Greek Children and Greek Tourist Story) or by keywords (Greece, Karamanlis, Acropolis, Callas, et al).  Secretariat General for Information: Feature Stories; Foundation of the Hellenic World: History of Modern Greece