Friends of Greece
We, the Friends of Greece,
can and should try to help by buying the Greek products, by developing
tourism, by sharing best practices among
our peoples, by producing some of our commodities in Greece, by partnerships,
by joint sales promotion, by investments, by offering training - in any way we
can be useful.
Friends of Greece
is an association registered under Danish law (by August 25, 2015).
PROJECT 2
How to help Greek Tourism Industry to Develop
One of the most important sectors of the Greek economy
is tourism. It represents about 40 % of it. About 25 million tourist will visit
the country this year (up from 21 million in 2014). This is a good and positive
development.
But there are two major problems:
a) the Greek domestic tourism has this year been
reduced by 80 %. Most Greeks do no
longer go on vacation due to the crisis.
This gives a lot of empty hotels and other tourist facilities in the
country.
b) the other problem is that Greek tourism industry
has not developed for many years when contents and new offers are concerned.
This means that the larger and larger part of tourists who are well off and who
want special holidays with activities and contents do not go to Greece, but to
neighbouring countries like Turkey, Italy and Spain. Greece does not profit
from this group of tourists, which is growing all the time.
Some ideas on how to improve
that:
Suggestions from specialists
in tourism, incl. many years' experience with Greece:
Guests in general like the country and the population,
which is the primary cause of the current tourism. Guests love the culture, but
the danger is - the Greeks think that is enough! Not unknown in most countries.
Business concepts are not appropriate for the
countries guests come from, but the government have now good control of for
example. Taxes and the economy! (In relation to tourism)
The country lacks product development, as so many
other countries with great natural highlights.
- They could usefully extend the season, which is now
May / October
- Make golf tours which is a huge hit in Turkey
- All Inclusive hits everywhere but does not exist in
Greece
- Crete is not internationally oriented - Rhodes is
- The National Tourism Organization is much
unstructured, uses many words, but no money on
development or marketing.
- The situation is that it is very similar to for
example, Greenland. However, who can be used as an example of how, despite many
tourists can multiply the number in a few years?
- A country stands out is Iceland! Despite the economic crisis of the
worst kind, they did what was needed, to multiply the income from tourism.
- Why not develop activity holidays in the fantastic
Greek nature? Like special bicycle tracks. And many other
possibilities to make nature and outdoor activities attractive for tourists -
also inland tourism, of course. The
Danish OUTDOOR COUNCIL gives good ideas. (http://www.friluftsraadet.dk/indhold/om-friluftsraadet/english.aspx
)
- Special resorts for all kinds of activities for all
age groups are very popular in many other countries. Such as CLUB LA SANTA in
Lanzarote in the Canary Islands:
- Inspiration can also be taken from many research
institutes dealing with Destination
Branding and Tourism - like researchers at the Copenhagen Business School
- Some of these initiatives can be implemented
quickly. Others will take more time, not least when considerable investments
are needed.
- The European financial funds are definately one of
the ways to move ahead in this very important area.
Niels
Jørgen Thøgersen
September
12, 2015
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