The new VisitGreece.gr, the revamped official online portal for promoting Greek tourism, was unveiled today by the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, at an event held at the “Onassis Foundation” amphitheater at the National Gallery in Athens.
“Today we are presenting a project that turns a new page in our country’s communication and digital promotion. A new approach to the way Greece promotes its tourism identity internationally and engages with its visitors through the capabilities of modern technology,” emphasized Ms. Kefalogianni, adding: “Greece’s unique natural and cultural environment is now taking on a new digital dimension, further highlighting the authenticity, quality, and richness of the experiences our country offers.”
According to the Minister of Tourism, the digital transformation of the Greek National Tourism Organization is not merely about creating a new website. It constitutes a comprehensive digital ecosystem that connects information, culture, technology, and the visitor’s experience. The project, funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility, is being developed along three main axes.
The first is the Digital Tourism Map. Specifically, through extensive mapping, organization, and documentation of the country’s tourism resources, a modern tool has been created that brings together natural, cultural, and tourism resources from every corner of Greece. This tool will be utilized by the Ministry of Tourism, the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), the Regions, and the Municipalities to support better planning, promotion, and sustainable development of each destination.
The second pillar is the Digital Repository and the Digital Interactive Museum of Tourism. For the first time, a particularly large volume of historical and audiovisual material from the Greek National Tourism Organization has been organized, digitized, and cataloged. In this way, a valuable part of the history of Greek tourism is preserved and is now accessible to the public, researchers, and future generations.
The third and most important pillar is the complete redesign of VisitGreece and the creation of a unified digital experience through the new website and the VisitGreece app.
It should be noted that starting July 1, Greece’s official tourism portal and the new app will accompany travelers at every stage of their journey. From the very moment they seek inspiration for their next destination, through planning their itinerary, discovering experiences, exploring Greece, and maintaining their connection with Greece even after they return. To this end, a completely new digital platform was created and organized, featuring extensive production and curation of high-quality text, photographs, and audiovisual material.
At the same time, the new VisitGreece leverages the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence.
“Visitors will be able to chat with digital assistants, receive personalized recommendations, plan their trips, and get up-to-date information through an experience of natural and human interaction,” said Ms. Kefalogianni.
She also added that Artificial Intelligence is evolving into a catalyst for change across the entire travel industry. “It enables us to better understand visitors’ needs so that we can design even more effective policies and promotional initiatives.” This is the context for the Greek government’s collaboration with ElevenLabs, one of the world’s leading companies in the field of voice-based artificial intelligence,” he emphasized.
Through the new VisitGreece platform, this technology comes into direct contact with the general public, offering natural conversation, multilingual communication, and a new experience in information and service—one that is more immediate, more human, and more personalized. At the same time, it serves as a valuable tool for the entire Greek tourism ecosystem: for the regions, municipalities, local communities, businesses, and industry professionals.
“With the new VisitGreece, we are introducing Greece’s new digital ambassador—a tool that inspires, informs, guides, and brings our country closer to every traveler, wherever they may be,” noted Ms. Kefalogianni.
The minister thanked the Greek National Tourism Organization’s (GNTO) Tourism Promotion Directorate, the Technical Chamber of Greece, all partner organizations, and everyone who worked with dedication to make this project a reality.
SOURCE: APE-MPE