Olga Kefalogianni in Pieria – Promoting Olympus and mountain tourism

The Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Olga Kefalogianni, visited Pieria, following an invitation from the Pierian Tourism Development and Promotion Organization (POTAP), as part of actions to strengthen and promote mountain tourism.

The Minister began her visit from the Information Center of the Olympus National Park Management Unit, where she was informed about the initiatives to protect the unique ecosystem of Olympus. Particular reference was made to the evaluation process for the proposed inclusion of Olympus in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Subsequently, Ms. Kefalogianni visited the New Monastery of Agios Dionysios on Olympus, where she spoke with the Abbot, Archimandrite Fr. Maximos Kyritsis, while she then hiked a section of the European trail E4, in the Enipeas gorge, accompanied by the guide of the Management Unit, Mr. Savvas Vassiliadis.

The Minister's visit concluded with the opening ceremony of the 2nd Olympus Adrenaline & Nature Festival, which takes place in Litochoro from 4 to 6 October. The event was hosted by the President of POTAP, Mr. Vasileios Dimou, the Deputy Governor of Pieria, Ms. Sofia Mavridou, and the Mayor of Dion-Olympus, Mr. Vangelis Geroliolios. Also present were the members of parliament for Pieria of the New Democracy, Mr. Xenophon Baraliakos, Ms. Anna Mani-Papadimitriou and Mr. Spyridon Koulkoudinas.

In her opening remarks, the Minister of Tourism referred to the Ministry’s strategic initiatives for the sustainable development of Greek tourism and the enhancement of the mountain product. As she emphasized, the goal is to spread tourism activity throughout the country and throughout the year.

Among other things, Ms. Kefalogianni presented:

• The legislative initiative for the conversion of ski resorts into twelve-monthly operating infrastructures.
• The creation of the institution of "Sustainable Mountain Tourism Destination", which will connect ski resorts, mountain refuges and tourist accommodations.
• The upgrading of infrastructure with resources from the Recovery and Resilience Fund.
• The development of a new digital platform for the promotion of mountain tourism.
• The strengthening of mountain refuges through the "Tourism for All" program.

The Minister underlined that Pieria has all the comparative advantages for the creation of a modern and authentic tourist product, while praising the festival for its contribution to the promotion of the natural and cultural identity of the place.

The Olympus Adrenaline & Nature Festival is organized by the Regional Unit of Pieria and POTAP, in collaboration with the Municipality of Dion-Olympus and under the auspices of the Greek Tourism Organization (GTO), offering visitors unique experiences in the nature, culture and gastronomy of the region.