Russian interest grows in Greek religious tourism
Greece should take advantage of its rich religious heritage and promote this sector to Russian tourists keen on learning more about the Greek Orthodox faith, the patriarch of Moscow and All Russia said yesterday. Patriarch Alexy II told Greek Deputy Development Minister Dimitris Georgakopoulos, in Moscow for the MIT international tourism fair, that Russians were interested in visiting Greek Orthodox monuments. He agreed to the setting-up of a committee which will draw up a preliminary plan to promote Greek religious tourism to Russians. Georgakopoulos told the patriarch that Greece would be hosting a Mediterranean conference on religious tourism in the autumn during which tourism ministers from the region and Black Sea countries are expected to attend. Greece has in recent years turned its attention to alternative forms of tourism in pursuit of upmarket tourists and others looking for novel experiences. The Development Ministry said recently it would promote agrotourism as part of a gradual turn away from mass tourism to theme-based tourism.
