CNN Insights: Athens as a 12month Tourist Destination – Opportunities and Challenges
With speakers including the Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni, the Governor of the Attica Region Nikos Hardalias, the Mayor of Athens Haris Doukas, and the President of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) Angela Gerekou, along with the participation of top executives from the tourism sector, the CNN Insights event titled "Athens 365: Athens as an Experiential Year-Round Tourist Destination" took place under the auspices of the Region of Attica and with the support of Athens International Airport, Eleftherios Venizelos.
As part of the event, participants discussed both the challenges and opportunities emerging in Athens and the wider Attica region, as a result of the sharp increase in arrivals in recent years and the region’s transformation into a year-round tourist destination.
Ms. Kefalogianni notably stated that "Athens has evolved into a year-round destination, as was the desired goal," while Mr. Hardalias emphasised that "tourism can and must become the driving force for Attica’s sustainable economic development."
Mr. Doukas, for his part, highlighted that "nowadays Athens is a destination, not just a stopover," while Ms. Gerekou noted that tourism is at the forefront of the Greek economy.
Participants also discussed the opportunities and challenges faced by Athens as a city break destination, as well as the role of experiential tourism as Attica’s key-offering.
The event took place on Tuesday, May 20, at Aigli UPSTAIRS (Zappeion Garden) and is part of the CNN Insights series, organised by CNN Greece, which highlights and explores in depth key current issues.
The event was broadcast live via streaming, allowing the general public to watch it in real time.
Read the full recap article on CNN.gr here: https://shorturl.at/RpokD
