Athens' tourism continues to move with strong momentum, as the capital records a steady increase in arrivals, high visitor satisfaction rates and ever-increasing international interest.

These findings, Evgenios Vasilikos, President of the Athens - Attica and Argosaronic Hotel Association (EXAAA), underlines in Tornos News, prove that "the city has entered a new phase of maturity, with a cultural identity, an upgraded hotel market and a strong modern profile that make it attractive to travelers from all over the world".

Mr. Vasilikos points out that the announcement for the creation of a modern conference center at the Tae Kwon Do Indoor Stadium constitutes an "extremely important and positive step" for Athenian tourism, strengthening the city's position as a strong destination for conference and business tourism. As he states, strengthening the conference infrastructure has been "a permanent request of the Athens Hoteliers Association for more than two decades" and will act as a lever for qualitative development for the capital's tourism image.

According to the President of the ATHENS HOTELS ASSOCIATION, Athens has acquired the potential to stand on an equal footing with other European capitals, attracting high-quality travelers and increasing their length of stay. "The increase in museum attendance, the upgrading of hotel units and the creation of new points of cultural interest show the transformation of the city into a comprehensive and vibrant city break destination," he states characteristically.

Mr. Vassilikos emphasizes that "in order to transform this positive course into truly sustainable development, comprehensive planning and investments in the city's infrastructure are needed." As he explains, "traffic management, accessibility, and the improvement of the daily life of residents and visitors are basic prerequisites for the qualitative development of tourism in Athens."

Strong investment interest

At the same time, according to what the President of the Athens Tourism Association underlines, the Greek capital is attracting increasing investment interest, with international hotel chains, real estate companies and institutional bodies strategically investing in the region. The new air connections and the gradual improvement of the travel experience, he adds, enhance the accessibility and extroversion of the city, making it "increasingly open, functional and internationally competitive."

Mr. Vassilikos concludes that the big challenge for the coming years is to maintain the balance between development and quality of life, which requires cooperation between all stakeholders and synergies between the public and private sectors. Athens, as he notes, has all the resources to further strengthen its position on the global tourism map, as long as it continues with a plan, consistency and investments that respect the character of the city.

Athens is in a "maturity" phase - Evgenios Vasilikos in Tornos News | TornosNews.gr