Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Palestine, Hani Al-Hayek and Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni. Photo source: Tourism Ministry
Tourism as a path to resilience and cooperation was at the heart of a recent meeting between Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni and her Palestinian counterpart, Hani Al-Hayek, during his recent informal visit to Athens.
Minister Al-Hayek, accompanied by Palestinian Ambassador Yussef Dorkhom and tourism sector representatives, shared an overview of how ongoing regional instability has impacted Palestine’s tourism industry – an economic pillar particularly reliant on religious pilgrimage.
Under normal circumstances, he noted, tourism is a key employer, especially for Palestinian Christians, 65 percent of whom work in the sector.
Expressing interest in Greece’s successful tourism strategy, Al-Hayek said Palestine hopes to draw from Greek best practices to rebuild and strengthen its tourism offering when conditions improve.
Photo source: Tourism Ministry
For her part, Minister Kefalogianni presented Greece’s strategic goals: extending the tourism season, diversifying destinations, and promoting lesser-known regions across the country.
She highlighted the importance of religious and cultural tourism, as well as the role of training and digital education in elevating service quality across the sector.
Both ministers agreed to pursue future cooperation focused on knowledge exchange, capacity building, and experience sharing between the two countries’ tourism authorities.
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