Tourism Min. Theocharis: Greek tourist product must start focusing on quality,

The ten-year plan the government plans to unveil at the end of the first half of 2020 will be based on a change of direction for the Greek tourism product that will focus on quality, sustainability and authenticity, Tourism Minister Haris Theocharis said in the current issue of Athens-Macedonian News Agency's magazine 'Praktoreio'.

This, said Theocharis, will be achieved in the context of a balanced all-season tourism development that will benefit all involved sides and will protect natural resources, cultural heritage, and the promotion of tourism infrastructures with a low-carbon footprint. These infrastructures include existing large-scale projects that should be accelerated and needed investments in regional airports, ports, road networks and marinas.

A new plan will also promote new types of niche tourism, highlight areas off the beaten path and increase travel receipts. It will also benefit local communities with new jobs and revenues and the nation itself, he adds.

The minister says that the challenges and opportunities in the tourism sector will be further discussed in the coming years, as well as at Philoxenia, the large annual tourism expo that celebrates its 35th anniversary this year and takes place in Thessaloniki from November 8 to 10.