The necessity for European Union (EU) to develop a new tourism model based on European multicultural principles and values was highlighted by the Vice-President of the “European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)” Mrs. Irini Pari at her key-note speech during "2nd European Tourism Conference" in Greece. Mrs. Pari underlined the need to promote a cross-border tourism product in a European wide level, stating that “it is a mistake for the EU member countries to strictly retreat into their confines”. She also referred to the encouragement of any special form of tourism and the improvement that has to be applied to social tourism all over Europe. Additionally, a great challenge, according to the EESC Vice-President, is the solution to the demographic problem. “Many immigrants work for the tourism sector and we need to guarantee decent working conditions and quality of life in order to make them a real part of the societies they live” she noted.
Improving branding and developing special forms of tourism
During her speech at the opening ceremony of the conference, the Greek Under-Secretary for Culture and Tourism Mrs. Angela Gerekou stated: “The national strategy for tourism we are preparing, targets through a gradual re-branding of our country, to the assertion of a powerful -in both revenue and culture- travel audience with better distribution circumstances into the wider multi-seasonal tourism year. We attempt to determine and develop a series of special and alternative forms of tourism such as Sea Tourism, Conventional Tourism, etc. in all aspects: Infrastructure, Incentives, Promotion, Employment Skills, Formation of activities.”
Click here to download the full text of Mrs. Irini Pari speech
By: N. Peter Kramer
