ND vows to make Greece world’s ‘strongest tourism brand’
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the leader of New Democracy opposition, has vowed to take steps to make Greece the world’s “strongest tourism brand” if he becomes prime minister.
Speaking at the annual general meeting of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) in Athens on Thursday, Mitsotakis presented the party’s blueprint for tourism which included a stronger emphasis on foreign investment, reduced tax rates, sustainable development policies, and a more sophisticated marketing strategy.
The 25th SETE AGM was expected to address key issues for the industry such as the effort to get tourism revenues back on a growth trajectory (after last year’s 920-million-euro loss compared to 2015), achieving sustainable growth in arrivals over the coming years when rival destinations escape their current problems, increasing investment and, above all, the overtaxation of the sector.
For Greece – long battered by recession and a drawn out financial crisis – tourism is a lucrative and vital sector, making up some 20 percent of gross domestic product and accounting for about one in five jobs.
