Hoteliers and the tourism industry welcome Travel.gr

Andreas Andreadis, CEO of Sani/Ikos Group

“The new Proto Thema venture, travel.gr, has arrived to fill a gap in the digital media. This is purely a travel website, far from lifestyle-website reasoning. Travel and the destination experience represent an entire philosophy that demands serious research, detailed coverage and inspired presentation. Which is why initiatives such as travel.gr are welcome, both in terms of information provided and business. I wish the venture good luck!
In such a fast-changing environment, with all its upheavals, until now, and those still anticipated, making projections about the year’s tourism revenues, compared to 2019, is extremely difficult. I estimate the season’s result will range between 40 and 60 percent of revenue levels reached in 2019. The progress of vaccination programmes in Greece and abroad, coronavirus variants, decisions and measures implemented at national levels, as has been the case in the UK and Russia, are some of the factors that will shape the course of the season. The only definite thing is that post-pandemic tourism will not be the same and will require investments in infrastructure and technology, as well as creativity and appropriate entrepreneurial moves, so that Greece’s tourism product develops in the right direction, in other words, one establishing the country as a wellness destination, both for foreign and local tourists. Under these conditions, the country and its tourism sector can emerge stronger than prior to the pandemic.”

Agapi Sbokou, co-manager of Phāea Resorts

“This season finds us feeling perplexed but optimistic – perplexed because things remain fluid in terms of travel rules to apply in various countries serving as tourism sources. Travel rules are continuously changing, often making a trip to Greece very expensive, uncertain and practically impossible for people on tighter budgets. The developments also offer optimism, for a variety of reasons. The flow of reservations is very good. This applies mostly to hotels that have established brand names. People are expressing a definite desire to travel to Greece. A turn towards direct reservations and retail channels has also been registered. I am convinced that no matter how much the first set of difficulties I mentioned will not allow us to enjoy an exceptional season, all the other factors will continue to positively shape the flow and type of tourism for Greece in the years to come, beginning this season. Travel.gr, backed by Proto Thema, promises to play a significant role and contribute to the shaping of a new era for tourism, one in which information, immediacy and validity will be key aspects.”

Chloe Laskaridis, on behalf of LAMPSA SA

“This year’s tourism season could be likened to a road race of many difficulties, obstacles and possible upheavals. Differences in pandemic-related health rules and travel restrictions among Greek tourism’s main markets, pivotal for the country’s overall tourism inflow, create a particularly fluid situation, with significant fluctuations for destinations throughout the country.
The complications that have arisen in the British market, for example, are prompting a chain effect of problems at big, standard holiday destinations, while, on the other hand, the unanticipated positive momentum generated by the US market offers encouraging relief for destinations such as Athens.
The smooth progression of this tourism season; resulting satisfaction of tourists who select Greece for their travels; and the establishment of solid foundations for a robust and stable recovery of all tourism industry sectors over the next two to three years, are primary issues for Greek tourism.
I would like to take this opportunity to wish you good luck, and pleasant journeys ahead, for your new travel news venture.”

Marie Daskalantonaki, CEO of Grecotel

“In Greece, we now possess Europe’s leading tourism product. I believe that, in this difficult year, we will once again manage to produce the best possible result for our tourism sector. The public and private sectors have worked harder than ever before to create safe conditions for the movement of people and their holidays. Grecotel, with 25 hotels in Sounio, Mykonos, Crete, Corfu, the Peloponnese, Kos, Rhodes and mainland Greece, will once again offer special holiday packages providing a safe and free summer through its implementation of the ‘Stay Safe Protocol’.
I extend my good-luck wishes to the new site travel.gr, which we expect, with its content, to support the recovery effort for travel activity and project significant topics concerning Greek tourism.”

Kostas Konstantinidis, CEO of Atrium Hotels

“Tourism, without a doubt, is our country’s most important economic activity, offering multiple benefits for the economy, employment and regional growth.
It is important to stress that these benefits are spread to a wider part of society and many sectors of the economy. Tourism greatly contributes to employment for young people and women. It stimulates trade, transport, primary and small-scale industrial production, while also providing cash flow for museums and the country’s cultural and eco-friendly destinations.
Nowadays, new-generation entrepreneurs have opted to go the way of eco-friendly investments that respect culture and the environment, establishing our country as one of the Mediterranean’s most appealing destinations.
For all these reasons, I believe that the Proto Thema initiative to create travel.gr as a modern site exclusively devoted to tourism will offer significant possibilities for the research, projection and promotion of our tourism product. I wish the venture a pleasant journey ahead.”

Alexandros Vassilikos, president of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and CEO of Airotel Group

“The Greek hotel industry finds itself at the starting line of the restart, with optimism to achieve the best possible result, as well realism, as this is the second consecutive season whose control is not in our hands but those of infectious disease specialists. Once again, this summer, epidemiological data is absolutely crucial and will ultimately determine how the season unfolds.
It is important, amid these conditions filled with uncertainty and challenges for Greek tourism, to be welcoming a new travel website backed by the authority and reputation of Proto Thema. Tourism is a potent card for the country’s recovery, which is why this sector concerns us all. It creates value chains throughout the real economy, functions in multiplying effect for growth, greatly contributes to employment and social cohesion, and also ensures peripheral growth and prosperity for local communities throughout Greece. It is worthwhile, then, for Greek hospitality to be at the core of the country’s public dialogue and public policies.
Good luck and have a pleasant journey.”

Grigoris Tasios, president of the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation

“We hoteliers are entering a battle for a season representing a last-second effort for whoever manages to be ready on time. Tourism competition between Mediterranean countries is enormous and developments concerning the pandemic-related data of Greece and the other tourism markets will determine how the season fares. Upheavals can occur from one moment to the next. We hope that the effort and collaboration of all interested parties will lead to a favourable outcome, a season running from July to November, and an average occupancy rate of at least 40 percent, which is the limit for a hotel unit’s sustainability. This is a season of survival. We are building endurance levels and hoping, at present, for a more normal year in 2022. The significance of tourism for the Greek economy goes without saying. The sector’s role in the country’s recovery and sustainability of growth is irreplaceable. Which is why journalistic coverage of the tourism-related economy and its contribution to the future of our country is of special importance. I welcome, then, Proto Thema’s new travel site and offer it heartfelt wishes for a pleasant journey across the digital world’s seas.”

Emmanuel Giannoulis, president of the Hania Hoteliers Association

“Without a doubt, this will be yet another difficult year as, regardless of the fact that Greece has fared very well in dealing with the pandemic and building an immunity barrier, we also fully depend on other countries and their policies concerning this crucial issue.
It is very encouraging [to see] that our country ranks first in online searches and demand from prospective visitors, which, naturally, makes us feel optimistic about managing, from here on, and at least doubling the tourism activity between now and the end of October, compared to 2020.
Finally, I would like to congratulate Proto Thema for its initiative to create a new travel site, which will definitely help inform and update the tourism sector, and also support decision making. I am certain that the consistency, validity and reliability of this new site, supported by an exceptional team of journalists, will establish the site as an important pillar of news and information.
My warmest congratulations and good luck with your new endeavour.”

Manolis Karamolegos, owner of Meltemi Hotels and Resorts and travelotopos.com

“If travel restrictions are not lifted by countries such as the UK, the season will not be a good one for many destinations in Greece as these restrictions are a deterrent in the choice of our country as a holiday destination. If they are changed soon, we can hope.
We are moving through the digital age, which is bringing about changes to the tourism model. Reservation platforms, as well as travel sites, are now playing a significant role. We maintain a reservations platform, travelotopos.com, featuring tourism activities and services for Santorini and Greece, which is being increasingly used by visitors, tourism companies, hotels and travel sites, not just in Greece, data has shown. Travellers now research destinations and their characteristics a lot more, which is why I believe Proto Thema’s new travel site, travel.gr will help tourism, highlighting the strength and potential of each destination for prospective visitors. The provision of reliable news for sector enterprises, especially at this moment in time, is also important.”