Greek tourism destinations and businesses joined forces for a mission to New York from October 18 to 22, seeking to build new connections with the US travel market and the Greek-American community, attract more American visitors and develop long-term partnerships.
The delegation brought together the Region of Central Greece, the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Municipality of Alexandroupolis, the Thessaloniki Tourism Organisation, hotel groups and tourism businesses. Through the Tourism Open Days initiative, they presented their destinations to US travel professionals and explored opportunities for cooperation.
The programme centred on business-to-business (B2B) meetings with 58 American travel agents, alongside discussions with representatives of the Greek-American community, Church officials and institutional bodies. Organisers aimed to combine direct engagement with travel industry professionals with the strong ancestral ties many Greek Americans maintain with Greece.
The initiative took place under the auspices
The initiative took place under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organisation, the Embassy of Greece in Washington and the Consulate General of Greece in New York, with Ethnikos Kyrix as strategic partner.
Central Greece highlights year-round tourism opportunities
Central Greece Regional Governor Fanis Spanos stressed the importance of the US market, describing it as a large market with high-income travellers and distinct audience segments, many of whom seek destinations throughout the year.
Speaking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA), Spanos said the region could appeal to visitors looking beyond the traditional sun-and-sea holiday model.
He highlighted its range of experiences, from winter
He highlighted its range of experiences, from winter activities and ski resorts to religious pilgrimages, cultural attractions and alternative forms of tourism. These include the archaeological site of Delphi, monasteries, religious routes and mountain destinations. The region’s proximity to Athens also offers an additional advantage.
Spanos also underlined the importance of engaging with the Greek-American community, saying such contacts carry both symbolic and practical value. They help maintain ties between Greek Americans and their ancestral homeland while creating opportunities for future visits.
Eastern Macedonia and Thrace seeks lasting US partnerships
For the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the New York mission marked the first step in a broader effort to build a more systematic presence in the American market.
Regional Deputy Governor for Tourism Panagiotis Archontis described
Regional Deputy Governor for Tourism Panagiotis Archontis described the visit as the beginning of a series of trips and contacts, stressing the need to maintain relationships with travel professionals and representatives of the Greek-American community.
The delegation also met Church officials to discuss religious tourism and potential cooperation across different sectors. Among its engagements was a meeting with the new Metropolitan of New Jersey, Athenagoras, who comes from Thourio in the Evros region.
B2B meetings gave the region an opportunity to present its tourism offering directly to American travel agents. Archontis highlighted its combination of coastal attractions, natural landscapes, history, culture, gastronomy and religious pilgrimage routes, which could support specialised travel packages.
Greek-American community calls for permanent Thrace presence
The delegation’s meeting with Theodoros Astrinidis, president
The delegation’s meeting with Theodoros Astrinidis, president of the Pan-Thracian Union of America “Orpheus”, highlighted the diaspora’s interest in stronger ties with Thrace.
Astrinidis welcomed the Greek delegation’s visit, saying the community had waited a long time for such an initiative.
“This should have happened years ago,” he said, expressing the Union’s willingness to help promote the region and develop partnerships.
He also pointed to interest among Greek Americans
He also pointed to interest among Greek Americans in visiting Thrace and Evros, and suggested that the region establish a more permanent presence in the United States. Such representation could support not only tourism but also trade and broader economic cooperation.
Alexandroupolis sees international outreach as a development priority
Alexandroupolis Mayor Yiannis Zampoukis described international outreach as a “development choice” for the city and called for a stronger international profile.
He identified the city’s natural environment, cultural identity, local gastronomy, strategically important port and geographical position as advantages that could strengthen its role in the wider region.
To make use of these advantages, we must
“To make use of these advantages, we must reach out,” Zampoukis said, adding that the city needed to introduce itself to new markets, strengthen ties with the Greek diaspora and build cooperation networks.
He stressed that tourism promotion benefits the entire local economy, not just tourism businesses.
The municipality presented Alexandroupolis’ tourism potential through Deputy Mayor for Tourism Petros Kyriakidis and held meetings with US travel professionals to explore the city’s inclusion in organised travel programmes.
Religious and medical tourism among opportunities explored
The New York discussions also examined specialist tourism markets, including religious pilgrimage and medical tourism. Greek destinations and businesses see opportunities to develop targeted travel proposals that respond to specific visitor interests and needs.
The delegation also visited the offices of Ethnikos
The delegation also visited the offices of Ethnikos Kyrix in Astoria, where it met co-publishers and co-directors Heracles and Vanessa Diamataris. Discussions focused on promoting the participating destinations to the Greek-American community and using the historic diaspora newspaper to publicise their tourism potential.
Diamataris also highlighted education, encouraging members of the diaspora to consider studying in Greece.
The programme’s main B2B event took place in central Manhattan, where the Greek destinations presented their distinctive features to 58 American travel agents.
The mission concluded with a meeting at the Consulate General of Greece in New York, attended by Consul General Ifigeneia Kanara and representatives of relevant Greek agencies. Kanara expressed her support for initiatives that strengthen links with the American market and the Greek diaspora.
