Activity – Update the Tourism Marketing Strategy to respond to the COVID-19 Tourism Impact

Deliverable: Adaptation of the National Tourism Marketing Strategy in light of the COVID-19 Tourism Impact

The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have implemented four activities to help Greece’s tourism sector recover from the impact of the pandemic.

This report is the proposed adaptation of the National Tourism Marketing Strategy for 2022-23 to the effects of COVID-19 for Greece to respond as effectively as possible to the circumstances of the pandemic.

Activity – Development of a Tourism Crisis Management Plan

Deliverable:  Tourism Crisis Management Plan. 

The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have implemented four activities to help Greece’s tourism sector recover from the impact of the pandemic.

Within this framework, the first Tourism Crisis Management Plan for the Ministry of Tourism has been developed, identifying various types of crises, and outlining concrete response mechanisms, roles, and processes.

Activity: Support Programme for Greek Tourism MSMEs and job retention 

Deliverable: Roadmap for Supporting Tourism MSMEs and Job Retention

The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has prepared a roadmap to support tourism micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and to help retain jobs.

The roadmap includes a set of actions designed specifically for the Ministry of Tourism, the tourism industry collective bodies and the tourism MSMEs, the implementation of which will help tourism businesses recover swiftly from the effects of the pandemic and achieve the best possible economic results in the market conditions prevailing today.

The selection of proposed actions was based on extensive research among tourism bodies, tourism businesses as well as officers of the Ministry of Development and Investments and the Ministry of Finance. This research contributed in assessing the support measures implemented in the previous two years, in the analysis of the needs and priorities of tourism businesses in the post-COVID-19 era, and in getting suggestions from stakeholders on what kind of support they would like.

Activity – Measurement of the COVID-19 Tourism Impact – Developing Monitoring Guidelines

Deliverable:  Covid-19, Tourism Impact Assessment Report & Tourism Impact Monitoring Guidelines Report. 

The Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have implemented four activities to help Greece’s tourism sector recover from the impact of the pandemic.

This activity provides a concrete overview of the impact of the pandemic on tourism in Greece through the statistics available in the country. Findings are available in the COVID-19 Tourism Impact Assessment Report.

Furthermore, the Tourism Impact Monitoring Guidelines Report presents a series of recommendations regarding the measurement of tourism activity based on lessons learnt during the pandemic, as well as on the analysis of Greece’s current tourism statistics and knowledge system.

The aim is to contribute to the measurement system of tourism activity in Greece as a useful tool to boost the competitiveness of the private sector and destination management, as well as the resilience of this industry and its capacity to face and address the impact of various crises.