Greece and Turkey agree to enhance tourism cooperation
The Greek and Turkish tourism ministers signed a memorandum and a declaration of the two countries’ cooperation on tourism on Sunday, as Tourism Development Minister Fanni Palli-Petralia completed her visit to Turkey in the second meeting of the two ministers, held in Antalya. The agreed cooperation provides for easier travel of visitors from one country to another, the encouragement of private initiative, the creation of new coastal shipping routes, the strengthening of air links and cooperation in sea tourism. It also foresees visits by competent officials from both countries so as to familiarize themselves with the construction and management techniques each country uses in operating marinas, as well as for the exchange of experience and know-how regarding certification systems on agritourist accommodation. The two sides further decided to set up a training group for the representatives of educational institutions and tourism schools of the two countries which will coordinate the visits and education of students and tutors from one country’s schools in the other’s hotel installations. Palli-Petralia also announced that the preparations are complete for a special training program concerning 15 managers and tutors of tourism and hotel schools in Turkey, which will be implemented in Athens. The ministerial meetings and the signing of the agreements took place within the context of the seventh Greek-Turkish tourism forum, in Antalya, southwestern Turkey. Palli-Petralia invited her counterpart, Attila Koc, and the Turkish delegation to Chios, where the eighth Greek-Turkish tourism forum is to be held next summer.
