Greece Bets on Mountains to Offset Tourism Uncertainty Driven by Global Turmoil

Greece is launching a strategical propulsion to marketplace its upland regions arsenic year-round destinations, seeking to trim its dependence connected coastal tourism arsenic planetary ostentation and geopolitical instability unreality the outlook for the coming summertime season.

Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni unveiled the run — titled "Mountainous Greece. Takes You High. All Year Round." — positioning the country's rugged interior not arsenic a fallback enactment but arsenic a chiseled question proposition targeting experience-driven European visitors.

"Investing successful mountainous Greece is simply a strategical measurement to alteration a supplementary tourer merchandise into a complete, 12-month narrative," Ms. Kefalogianni said.

The inaugural comes arsenic shrinking household budgets crossed cardinal European root markets are forcing travelers to measurement destinations much carefully, placing unit connected Greece to connection deeper worth beyond formation holidays. 

The authorities sees upland tourism arsenic a hedge against the volatility that has historically made coastal seasons feast-or-famine propositions.

The ministry's program centers connected upgrading existing skis resorts into year-round recreational hubs and promoting distant upland refuges and hiking trails. Regions including Drama, Pieria, Konitsa and the cliff-monastery analyzable of Meteora — spectacular but historically undermarketed — are earmarked for targeted concern and promotion campaigns.

Longer-term proposals nether reappraisal see converting abandoned concern buildings, accepted chromatic mansions and historical olive mills into determination museums, open-air markets and nutrient halls showcasing certified section nutrient — an attack designed to anchor visitors to circumstantial regions alternatively than passing through.

The authorities is besides exploring ways to weave upland question into eco-tourism, escapade sports and concern question itineraries, broadening the sector's entreaty crossed antithetic traveler profiles and spending levels.

By Lito Mysiakouli