by James Ruggia
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Fri November 7, 2014
The gradual transformation of Greece back to one of the thriving destinations for travel got a boost from Madrid a couple of weeks ago when United Nations World Tourism Organization Secretary-General Taleb Rifai cited the Greek government's strong support for tourism as a serious industry and on the strength of its results.
Rifai met with Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras during an official visit to Athens. International tourists visiting Greece in the first half of 2014 grew by 17 percent thanks to a surge from the same European outbound markets, especially Germany and the U.K., which made the country a tourism leaders in the 1970s and '80s. Greece outperformed other destinations in Southern Europe by 7 percent. Last year, international arrivals reached 18 million (+16 percent) generating $16 billion (+13 percent).
Consider Santorini, which made Conde Nast's Readers Choice Awards in the list of the Top 25 islands and the first of Europe's 10 best islands, had an estimated 26 percent increase in visitors this year compared to 2013. Santorini isn't any more beautiful than it's ever been, what's different is the infusion of high quality boutique properties and the buzz they've been generating. Santorini's 35-room Mystique was placed at 46 among Conde Nast readers list of top-rated hotels in the world. This property, as creative as it is luxurious, was created from a village.
The new Ikos Resorts brand covers a portfolio of luxury resorts in Greece and the Mediterranean. Two Greek resorts, Ikos Oceania (previously Oceania Club) which will re-open in March after a soft refurbishment and the new-build hotel Ikos Olivia will debut in May. The luxurious standards of the brand are demonstrated by the inclusion of wine cellars, gourmet dining and Anne Semonin spas.
The UNWTO cites the Greek government's "robust tourism policy" and "the implementation of fundamental competitiveness measures and of the immense capacity of the private sector to adjust to a fast changing market." Adjustments indeed! Greece is now wandering into types of creative niche products that it never would have touched in the past. Greek tourism had become complacent, satisfied with mass tourism beach holidays from Europe and a rote journey of two nights Athens, three nights in the Peloponnese and an island cruise capped by a call at Ephesus on the Turkish mainland.
It's not only the addition of luxury; it's also an openness to the new nature preserve for the endangered Mediterranean monk seal on the island of Alonissos. Monk seals are the only seal species that lives in subtropical waters. With their habitats destroyed all over the Mediterranean, it was found that the seals were using the caves of Alonissos as birthing nurseries. Now it's Europe's largest National Marine Park.
Greece also seems to be warming up to promoting its second city. No place in Europe can compete with Athens for heritage tourism, but Thessaloniki is a fascinating cultural city, a crossroads of religion, ethnicity and memory. It's also a place where a new creative and a younger generation of Greeks are carving a more modern identity for the country.
Greek and Roman ruins, the ghost of Alexander and a crossroads between the Balkans and the Aegean, Thessaloniki offers a fine urban counterpoint to Athens. It's known for its booming café scene, music and dance clubs and several fine restaurants that combine all of those influences into the seafood cuisine the city is known for.
Commenting on the UNWTO's recognition, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said that Greece´s tourism sector is "the first locomotive that started and began to pull our economy out of a painful six-year recession."
The meeting between Rifai and Samaras was also attended by the Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni who is the force behind so many of these changes. Rifai praised Samaras and Kefalogianni for the recent simplification of visa procedures and the reduction in the Value Added Tax (VAT) on hotels and tourism services, and supporting the cruise industry. "These measures enhance the competitiveness of Greece's tourism while sending a very strong political message of support to the sector" said Rifai.
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