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K. Mitsotakis: We expect a very good tourist season from the beginning this year

The Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis had a teleconference with the CEO of TUI Group, Fritz Joussen, today, during which it was announced the establishment of the Co-Lab of the group in Rhodes, the first cooperation laboratory for the beneficial green and digital transformation of the entire service chain. associated with tourism.

“We expect a doubling of arrivals in Greece by the TUI Group in 2022 compared to last year

On the occasion of the announcement of the agreement for the establishment of Co-Lab, Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed that “we expect a very good tourist season from the beginning this year”, with Mr. Joussen emphasizing that he expects the doubling of arrivals on his part TUI Group in 2022 compared to last year, which means that visitors who will travel to Greece through the group will even exceed the levels of 2019.

“Last year 1.5 million TUI customers visited Greece” noted the Group’s CEO, adding that “already for this year we believe that we will exceed the pre-crisis levels. So our plan for this year concerns 3 million TUI customers in Hellas”.

We believe that Greece will surpass even the level of 2019 this year

“We believe that Greece will overcome the pre-crisis levels and will be one of the beneficiaries of the health crisis,” said Fritz Joussen, while emphasizing that the protection measures developed and activated by Greece during the pandemic were a critical support for tourism. .

“You have been excellent in crisis management and in managing destination protocols. Customers felt safe, which was very important to them. I think this is a great achievement and let me thank you for all your efforts,” he said. .

The Greek side was represented by the Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilias, the Minister of State Akis Skertsos, the Regional Governor of the South Aegean George Chatzimarkos and the Mayor of Rhodes Antonis Kampourakis.

The new tourist model

Speaking about the nature of the initiative in Rhodes, following the GR-eco Islands initiative, the Prime Minister stressed that “we want to look to the future and we firmly insist that our new tourism model must be sustainable”.

Kyriakos Mitsotakis pointed out that “the green transition is important and we intend to create a separate Fund for all the Aegean islands so that local communities and municipalities can participate in projects that will focus particularly on sustainability issues.”

He also noted that “the expansion of the tourist season is one of the key priorities in our long-term strategy and we believe that many of our destinations, including Rhodes, have the ability to attract visitors beyond the summer months.”

“There is a more general narrative that goes beyond tourism. I believe that Greece is clearly a country that is turning a page. It leaves behind a decade of crisis and pain and is a country that now seeks to address the challenges of the future,” he said. Mitsotakis.

“In 2022 Greek Tourism will be the protagonist”

“Sustainable Tourism is a strategic priority of the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Greek Government. And it is important for us the choice of TUI to make Rhodes the first sustainable tourist destination in the world, thanks to the intensive efforts we have made with Perifergios Giorgos and the Mayor of Rhodes Antonis Kampourakis “, stressed the Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilias.

“We work hard and methodically to be leaders in Tourism. The work shows, as can be seen from the data of the reservations so far and that things are going well, in 2022 Greek Tourism will be the protagonist”, Mr. Kikilias pointed out.

Addressing the CEO of TUI Group, Fritz Joussen, Mr. Kikilias pointed out that “we rely on you as strong partners and we want to work together with stability and consistency, in order to jointly achieve the extension of the tourist season. We look forward to and good offers to our hoteliers “.

Secured resources for re-skilling and up-skilling programs

The Minister of State Akis Skertsos stressed the importance that the government attaches to human resources and the upgrading of the skills of employees in tourism companies. He noted that significant Community and national resources have been secured for re-skilling and up-skilling programs and pointed out that Greece is open to the idea of ​​cooperation with the TUI Group and in vocational tourism training, with the aim of upgrading skills and opportunities for retraining of workers in the tourism sector.

“Great alliance and vote of confidence”

“This great alliance, with a leader in the global tourism market, such as the TUI Group, I believe goes beyond the narrow limits of our common commitment to this endeavor. It is a vote of confidence for Rhodes, our Region and Greece,” he said. on his part, the Regional Governor of the South Aegean, George Chatzimarkos.

“So we are working for the next years, for the next decade as sustainability is the essential element that will help us go even further. An island of 2.5 million arrivals a year can achieve much more through the joint effort of the citizens. , of the Municipality and the professionals “underlined, for what the project mobilizes in Rhodes, the Mayor of Rhodes Antonis Kampourakis.

The identity of the first Co-Lab in Rhodes

The agreement to establish the first Co-Lab collaboration laboratory concerns the development of policies and programs that will ensure sustainable tourism. It was announced today by the TUI Group and the South Aegean Region, in a teleconference with the Maximos Palace, with the support of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The TUI Group is one of the largest travel service providers in the world.

The innovative Co-Lab will be set up in Rhodes, with the aim of helping to transform the island into a model of green and digital transformation that will affect the entire chain of hospitality and catering services: from hotels and means of transport to museums and entertainment venues.

In this way, the Island of the Knights will offer a tangible road map that will be able to adopt tourist destinations around the world. The new workshop will look for workable answers to serious challenges of the 21st century, such as reducing the impact of tourism on the environment, but with benefits for the development of local economies and the labor market, without exclusions. A compass for the Co-Lab’s action will be the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals and the European Union Green Agreement.

The Co-Lab will also be a hub for the systematic cooperation between the local government, the entrepreneurship and the local community at every stage of the whole process, so that the solutions that will be implemented will have wide support, will cover the needs of the island and will be product of serious consultation of all parties involved.

“It is important to emphasize that at the United Nations, when we talk about sustainability, we are not just talking about environmental, ecological sustainability, but also social and economic sustainability,” he said.

“Without sustainability in the economy and society, environmental sustainability will not be achieved. If citizens do not know how to contribute to world wealth, how to make a living for their children, how to have a decent income “They will take care of the environment,” Joussen said.

Source From: Capital

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