Greece is broadening its tourism narrative beyond sun and sea, spotlighting adventure experiences and lesser-traveled destinations such as Volos, Pelion, Epirus, and the Zagori villages to attract environmentally and socially conscious travelers.
As part of this strategy, the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) office of the UK and Ireland participated as a Destination Partner in the Adventure Travel Networking (ATN) Media Workshop held in London earlier this month. The award-winning ATN platform connects global tourism boards with industry professionals in adventure and experiential travel, with a strong focus on sustainability and local community engagement.
The event, titled ATN Media Meetup, brought together 20 specialized tour operators – including Exodus, Explore, Ramble Worldwide, Swim Trek, Fred Olsen Travel, and Intrepid Travel – and 30 leading media representatives from outlets such as National Geographic Traveler, Wanderlust, Adventure.com, BBC Travel, The Times, The Telegraph, Condé Nast, and others.
A panel discussion opened the event, moderated by Jono Vernon-Powell of T/O Worldwide Travel, and featured representatives from four destinations: Greece, Peru, Jordan, and Italy’s Aosta Valley.
Speaking on behalf of Greece, Eleni Skarveli, head of the GNTO UK and Ireland office, underlined the country’s evolving image as a multi-themed destination, with adventure tourism playing a central role.
Skarveli highlighted the importance of showcasing lesser-known destinations ideal for “off-the-beaten-track” experiences – such as Volos, Pelion, Epirus, and the Zagori villages – and stressed the GNTO’s focus on both geographical and seasonal diversification.
“Our goal is to strengthen Greece’s position as a destination that offers not just natural beauty, but unique and responsible experiences for conscious travelers,” she noted.
This approach aligns with national efforts to promote Greece as a sustainable tourism destination – not only environmentally, but also economically and socially.
According to the GNTO, a notable result of this strategy was a significant increase in UK arrivals during the off-season: visitor numbers in November 2024 rose by 88.5 percent compared to the same month in 2023.
The event concluded with a networking session, offering the GNTO team the opportunity to further promote Greece’s diverse offerings and gather interest for future familiarization (fam) trips. The organization’s Deputy Head, Angela Tzifa, reported strong interest from media and tour operators alike in exploring new adventure-focused itineraries across the country.
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