Greek Tourism Organization reopening Australia branch, Min Kikilias says

The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) will reopen in Australia, it was announced on Tuesday by Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias and Australian Ambassador to Greece Arthur Spyrou.

Kikilias called his collaboration with the Australian ambassador "an excellent partnership," and he noted that he is "very happy that during his tenure we managed, with joint efforts, to reopen GNTO's office - which was once in Sydney - now in Melbourne." The Greek minister noted that Spirou's father was the director on GNTO's Sydney office in the 1970s.

"Australia is a very big market and we want it in Greece," Kikilias added. He also pointed out that tourism in 2023 is so far already surpassing 2019's record-breaking figures.

This summer season will be huge for Australian tourism in Greece, Spyrou said, mentioning that 340,000 Australians visited Greece in 2019 "and the trend is going up."

Kikilias and Spyrou walked in the streets of Plaka, and the Australian diplomat observed that although Acropolis and Plaka are major parts of one's experience in Greece, he noted that rock climbing and sea diving "are just as authentic an experience."

"It is all these that have given a greater scope to the tourism of Greece, beyond the souvlaki and the sea. That is what an Australian will focus on, and that is what we will highlight with this effort."