25 October 2016

The number of Gulf visitors to Greece surged by more than half last year, as the Mediterranean country’s marketing campaign to target the region as a new source market for tourists begins to generate much-needed overseas revenue.

“The Gulf is a great market. We opened it up last year and we had a 55 percent increase in the number of Gulf tourists coming to Greece in 2016 and we think 2017 will be even better,” Elena Kountoura, Greece’s Alternate Minister for Tourism, said in the interview with Zawya in Dubai, without giving exact visitor numbers.

Kountoura said the surge in interest from Gulf tourists comes after authorities undertook a marketing campaign in the region last year. As part of the strategy, the Greek government invited journalists and travel bloggers from the region to visit the country, while it also took a stand at last year’s Arabian Travel Market exhibition in Dubai.

Greece’s economy was hit hard during the global financial crisis and last year it signed up for an international bailout worth up to 86 billion euros ($93.5 billion), the third time since 2010 it has been forced to see a financial lifeline, Reuters reported.

Tourism makes up around a fifth of Greece’s gross domestic product and it is expecting to see a record 27.5 million tourists this year, up from a previous record of 26 million last year.


Fashion lovers

In addition to its historical attractions, such as the ruins in Athens, and island beach culture, Greece has also sought to tap into Gulf tourists’ love of shopping.

“You can get much better deals than here (the UAE) and you can really have wonderful designers’ clothes and very high quality products that have better prices in Greece, so it is a good deal. And women like to have good deals,” Kountoura said.

The minister also praised the European Union’s decision last year to give UAE nationals easier visa access throughout the 26 countries of the Schengen Area of Europe. “This showed the strength of the diplomatic relations between the UAE and Greece, being part of the bigger European family,” she said.

The minister said she encouraged more UAE investors to target the tourism sector for potential investment. “The (UAE) minister of economy came to Greece with a delegation to see opportunities in all sectors and also in the tourism sector. And I think with our bilateral relations, it will work great.”

Privatisation of a number of its government assets is one of the ways Greece is looking to dig its way out of its financial hole and last month it ratified a $7.6 billion plan to turn a derelict former airport into one of Europe's biggest coastal resorts, with Abu Dhabi investors among those backing the project, Reuters reported.


Plane talking

Air access is an important catalyst for tourism between two regions and while Dubai’s Emirates airline, Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways and Qatar Airways all operate direct flights to the Greek capital of Athens from their bases in the Gulf, Kountoura is working to increase the flight capacity between the two countries.

“When you have access, it is much, much easier. So for me, it is a very important issue to open up direct flights and the Gulf for me is a priority because Greece is very close, it is only four-hours away and I know we can offer all they need: wonderful services, good quality, privacy and variety”.

The minister has visited Dubai three times and was a keynote speaker at the 18th Global Women in Leadership Economic Forum, which was held in the city on October 24 and 25.

(Edited by Shane McGinley and Ghaida Ghantous)

© Zawya 2016