Gov’t says Greek hotels cannot be left out of the international star system
Tourism Development Minister Fanni Palli-Petralia yesterday said Greece will adopt a star system for the categorization of the country’s approximately 40,000 hotels and other accommodation facilities, in line with international trends. Speaking at a press briefing in London’s World Travel Market fair, which opened yesterday, she said the decision had been made for two reasons. First, because the existing letter-based system of classification will be outdated in a few years’ time by international market trends and will not be able to provide a representative and comprehensive picture of the services offered. Secondly, because the increasing flow of investment into the tourism sector dictates the transition to a more modern system, in line with applications driven by the latest developments in the sectors of construction and technology. Petralia also unveiled the new slogan of the national tourism promotion campaign, «Greece: Explore Your Senses,» which will be launched in world markets in a matter of days. Referring to the London Olympic Games of 2012, she said the key to success, as shown by the Athens Games, will be the coordination of agencies involved and speed in the implementation of decisions.
