Modern travelers want to see a new image
On the weekend of March 17-20, Paris was host to an event of special interest to Greece: the World Tourism and Travel Fair 2005, with organizers expecting over 100,000 visitors and professionals from 190 countries. Making the rounds of Hall 5 at the Paris Expo grounds at Porte de Versailles, the first impression was that the tourist’s dream has changed: Thousands of catalogs, brochures and fliers advertised «green» tourism, adventurous trips, journeys of discovery, original and unusual excursions, and alternative types of visits to well-known destinations. Those in the know spoke of new trends in the tourism sector, which is no longer looking for simple sun-chasers, but for thinking people, active citizens of the world who want to participate in and gain greater knowledge of the places they visit. It was interesting to note that many of the bigger operators have opened up branches for alternative tourism, while other small, specialized agents have struck up collaborations with non-governmental organizations. Every country was present, as was Greece, with an impressive, well-positioned kiosk that invited tourists to «Live your Myth in Greece.» The brochures spoke of the legends of Greece, the song of the sirens that invite people to dive into the beautiful blue waters of the sea and to dance until dawn under the watchful eye of Dionysus. The photograph that goes with the blurb is unoriginal: an adoring couple standing in a swimming pool at the edge of the Santorini caldera while a cheeky little Eros aims his arrow at them. In another picture, there’s a mermaid floating above an ancient temple and in another, a child walking along a beach. The areas of Greece being represented at the kiosk were Crete, Rhodes, the islands of the Ionian Sea, Halkidiki and the prefecture of Magnesia. I had to ask who had made the selection and was informed by a representative of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) that a memo had been sent to local authorities around the country and that it had been left up to them to deliver material for the kiosk. Obviously not that many responded. The Cycladic Islands were completely absent, as were Macedonia, Thrace and Epirus. Even Athens, the city of the 2004 Games, renewed and modern, was not represented. Crete stood proud with its big hotels and beautiful beaches. «Why haven’t you got leaflets on the Cretan diet or the walks,» I asked a mustachioed representative of the island. «We have,» he answered, showing me a drawer, «but we only give them to people who show real interest because the others just throw them away, and they are expensive.» Obviously the man was right, but at the same time, the Spanish were freely handing out wonderful little booklets showing special treks and giving out recipes for local specialities. Our neighbors, the Turks, made an impression with their local dress and music. Other than their archaeological sites, they had a plethora of information on trekking in Anatolia and the mountains of the Black Sea, baths and spas, and ski centers. At the Greek kiosk, a visitor asked about skiing in Greece and received no solid answer. I wondered why we hadn’t thought of promoting Parnassus, which combines decent ski slopes with well-organized accommodation, and the exceptional archaeological site of Delphi with the beauty of Galaxidi. Why had the Lebanese and Turks thought of it and not us? If, instead of showing the young couple roasting under the sun in Santorini, we had shown them walking along the beautiful path that runs along the brow of the Caldera, we could, perhaps, have had something new to present while, on the one hand, hanging on to the loyal tourists who already know that the islands of the Aegean are spectacular, and, on the other, winning a new audience of modern travelers who are looking to see something different. Unless, of course, we are trying to target a niche market of luxury tourism, in which case, of course, we would have to upgrade our services. Why don’t we propose historical, gastronomic and oenological excursions? Why are we so afraid to change an image that is already so well known? Why don’t we apply modern language instead of trying to woo tourists with pseudo-poetic writing? Why are our advertising campaigns so predictable? The Ministry of Tourism seems to have the inclination, energy and means to boost Greek tourism, but why isn’t it bold in its moves? What have we got left to lose?
