During 2017-2018 Russia and Greece will hold a Cross-year Tourism starting in this autumn. Tourist authorities in both countries expect that the joint program will allow increasing tourist flows in two directions.

The launch of joint action and development of new partnerships were discussed recently in Moscow between the Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Ms. Alla Manilova and the Secretary-General on tourism policy of the Ministry of Tourism of Greece Mr. Georgios Tziallas.

The program of the Cross-year Tourism includes Greek events in Russia, Russian events in Greece, joint projects and activities in the field of culture. It will be also supplemented during the year.

In Greece the forthcoming project is expected with great interest, believing that cooperation on the official and professional level will help to further develop the tourist flows between the two countries. The Greeks are hoping to secure success in the activation of the Russian tourist traffic. Last year, Greece was visited by about 900,000 Russian tourists: it was 30% more than the year before. This spring, Greece was the third most popular tourist destination in Russia for searchers of package tours for May and summer of the year 2017.

The Cross-year Tourism will give a possibility to draw attention to Greece not only as a summer but all-the year-round direction. In this regard it is planned to actively develop Themed Tourism – Religious, Medical, Wellness, Gastronomic, Yachting, Hiking, Sightseeing and other types of tourism.

Preparations for the Cross-year Tourism of the two countries were also discussed at the level of deputy foreign ministers: Alexei Meshkov and his Greek counterpart Georgios Katrougkalos. In addition, the diplomats considered issues of Russian-Greek cooperation in various spheres – political, cultural, humanitarian, trade-economic, energy and other.

Russia and Greece have long been experiencing special feelings for each other. Greece only once fought against Russia, which carried significant costs to Greeks: the Greek intervention in southern Russia in 1919 (its participant was the famous Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis, born in Heraklion) led to a distrust in the Greek communities, living in southern Russia after it under suspicion to be insecure, as well as to Russian material support given then to the Kemalist Turks during their war against Greece.

Now Russian schoolchildren are studying history and culture of Greece, there is a close spiritual and cultural connection between the two countries – the Orthodox faith. Greece became a health resort for Russians and very many Russian tourists come here.

Many visiting Greece Russian citizens noticed psychological similarity between Greeks and Russians: personal ties, trusting relationships between all family members are important for both peoples as well as propensity to informal business management.

Russians are very happy to visit Greece and will do it while Greeks go with similar feelings to Russia.

Concerning promotion of Greece on the tourist market of Russia

From an interview given this summer by the Greek Minister of Tourism Mrs. Elena Kountoura to the online newspaper “Lenta.ru”    

Strategy for attracting new tourist from Russia 

A four-year plan for an updated national tourism policy was launched in 2015. Its main task is to extend the tourist season in Greece, not limiting it to the summer period. The new policy contains several main points: expansion of offers through new tourist destinations; development of tourist packages required at any time of the year (for example, religious, gastronomic or health tourism); opening of direct flights from major Russian cities; constant contact with Russian tour operators; attraction of investments in the tourism sector.

Last year in Athens an Orthodox forum was held in conjunction with the Russian Ministry of Culture within the framework of the Russia-Greece Cultural Cross-year: they talked about organization of religious and pilgrimage tours. The Orthodox tradition is akin to our peoples, and we are ready to develop this direction along with other.

This year the Ministry of Tourism of Greece began to establish direct chartered flights from major Russian cities to the islands. We need to give people maximum comfort, so that flights do not require any transfer in Moscow or Athens. This condition is especially important for families with children and elderly parents. Some agreements about opening new directions have been concluded by the Ministry of Tourism with major Russian tour operators having their own fleet of aircraft.

Solution to the visa-issue

Since last year, the Greek consulates have begun issuing multi visas for three to five years to all tourists who have not previously been seen in violation of the visa regime. Greek visa centers are located practically in all large cities of Russia. Getting a visa takes from a day to three working days. It’s the fastest possibility among the countries of the Schengen zone. Therefore, the visa-issue is not an obstacle for the Russians to rest in Greece.

All-inclusive product and individual tourism

Russians do not differ much from other Europeans. About 70% of travelers prefer buying tour packages, and only 30% are organizing their own holiday. Russian-speaking hotel staff is especially important for Russians. Perhaps only young people and childless couples prefer to develop Greece independently.

I can not say that the all-inclusive service is flourishing. It’s traditionally common to luxury hotels and resorts. In Greece, along with this, there are a lot of hotels and apartments offering only breakfast to their customers. Dinner is an excellent opportunity to get out of the hotel to know Greece better. Greek cuisine is famous all over the world.

Do Greeks go to Russia to rest?

Russia is becoming more popular. Greeks are attracted by culture and Orthodox traditions. The favorite destinations of Greeks are Moscow and St. Petersburg with their museums, theaters and religious shrines located in both cities, but the tourist flow from Greece is incomparable with that from Russia due to huge disparity between our countries. The protracted economic crisis is also not conducive to the tourist activity of Greek citizens.

September 2017