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GREECE PROMOTES ITS COOL SIDE TO ATTRACT VISITORS DURING WINTER MONTHS

With the central message “Greece does have a winter” and the motto from the successful central campaign “All you want is Greece”, the ministry of tourism and the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) recently launched a new campaign to promote the country’s winter tourist destinations and mainland attractions.

Greece is a popular tourist destination for world travellers. However, this popularity mostly comes from the spring and summer seasons when sun-hungry travellers visit its famous beaches and islands. This is why the country’s ministry of tourism and the Greek National Tourism Organisation has launched a campaign promoting the delights of its winter season.

According to an official release, the design and production of the campaign was sponsored by the Onassis Foundation.

Data shows that, in 2019, Greece attracted between 200,000 and 250,000 international travellers during January, February and December. All together, the three months accounted for 688,000 international arrivals in 2019. This represented a mere 3.5% of all tourist arrivals in Greece during that year. By comparison, each month from June to September 2019 passed the 3 million international travellers’ mark.

Consequently, as well as promoting its natural beauty and the full range of tourist attractions on offer, the new campaign specifically focuses on the options available to visitors during the winter months. It emphasises authentic experiences, the unique identity of the country and Greek traditions, especially the fact that Greece does not only have islands but also a unique mainland, gastronomical and culinary delights and a safe environment.

The campaign features a video of a young woman who informs viewers that “Greece has a winter too” and offers images of winter landscapes and activities available at mainland destinations, such as cycling, paragliding, rafting and a host of others. The humour-full campaign emphasises an unknown side of Greece, particularly in its mountainous regions.

Winter promotion helps improving Greece’s commitment to sustainable tourism

The four-month campaign will be modified as it unfolds. The GNTO as well as the Ministry will base their message on the course of the pandemic in target markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Sweden, Poland and Israel.

The “Greece does have a winter” campaign will be further strengthened with a specific promotion of city-break destinations such as Athens or Thessaloniki.

Greece tourism experienced a sustained recovery in 2021. According to provisional data from the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), total foreign arrivals reached 8.13 million between January and September 2021. This represented a growth of close to 112% compared to the same period in 2020.

During the period January – September 2021, the largest share of arrivals was generated by non-residents. International markets reached a share of 70.2% of all recorded arrivals.

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