Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni speaks at the World Beautiful Business Forum 2026 in Athens, outlining Greece’s strategy for more sustainable and community-focused tourism development. Photo source: Tourism Ministry
Greece is seeking to shift the focus of tourism growth from visitor numbers to long-term value creation for destinations and local communities, according to Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni.
Speaking at the World Beautiful Business Forum 2026 in Athens, Kefalogianni outlined Greece’s strategy for a more sustainable, resilient and quality-focused tourism model, emphasizing development that respects the identity of destinations while benefiting local communities and protecting the country’s natural and cultural assets.
“The critical question today is not only how many visitors arrive, but what value tourism delivers to local communities, the environment and the travel experience itself,” the minister said.
Keeping local communities at the center
During her speech, Kefalogianni stressed that local communities must remain at the center of tourism planning and development. She added that safeguarding Greece’s environmental and cultural heritage is a key priority as the country seeks to strengthen the long-term sustainability of its tourism sector.
The minister also highlighted the growing role of technology and artificial intelligence in tourism management, noting that digital tools can support better management of visitor flows, improve services and contribute to more effective policymaking based on real-time data.
Kefalogianni said Greece is investing in sustainable tourism development, workforce skills and the diversification of its tourism offering, while also introducing modern monitoring tools such as the National Observatory for Sustainable Tourism Development.
Closing her remarks, the minister underlined that Greece’s goal is to build a tourism model based on balance and resilience, more closely aligned with the needs of both local communities and modern travelers.
Held in Athens from May 7-10, the World Beautiful Business Forum 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of the House of Beautiful Business organization and has brought together around 1,000 participants from more than 40 countries, including business leaders, technology experts, policymakers, academics and representatives of international organizations.
Follow GTP Headlines on Google News to keep up to date with all the latest on tourism and travel in Greece.