Greece at the center of the international tourism investment industry

Fifty-two business meetings, as well as a round table discussion, with the participation of 65 company representatives, were organized by the Hellenic Investment and Foreign Trade Company (Enterprise Greece) during the International Hotel Investment Forum, the leading event for the tourism investment industry, which was held from May 15 to 17 in Berlin.

According to a statement, the IHIF was organized for the 25th consecutive year, gathering over 2.500 high-ranking executives from around the world with 30% of them participating for the first time. It also attracted more than 500 investors, who manage about 75 billion. dollars, including ADIA, Axa IM, Bain Capital, Extendam, Hines, Pandox and Stonewge SA.

Greece participated again this year with a presence that won impressions, but also confirmed the ever-increasing interest, on the one hand for the entry of more industry groups in our country and on the other hand for the expansion of already established hotel chains.

As part of the conference, Enterprise Greece had a specially designed exhibition area (booth) in which it had planned a program of 52 one-on-one meetings, some of which concerned discussions about already mature contacts (leads), for the implementation of investments in our country .

The general secretary of International Economic Relations and Outreach of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and president of Enterprise Greece, Vassiliki Loizou, said: "It is particularly important that in such a forum everyone recognizes the improvement of the investment climate in Greece. Even more so in the tourism industry, which not only endured after the pandemic, but came out strengthened. Greece is a protagonist, attracting millions of visitors and offering investment opportunities on a path towards sustainable tourism development. Enterprise Greece takes advantage of the country's potential by highlighting its comparative advantages and creating the conditions for cooperation and investment between foreign giants and Greek companies".

The company also organized a round table discussion dedicated to Greece entitled: "The Resort Market in Greece: Investment, Innovation, Opportunities", attended by 65 industry representatives, a number that exceeded all expectations. Speaking during the event, the managing director of Enterprise Greece, Marinos Giannopoulos, referred to the latest developments in the Greek economy, the strategic plans in the tourism industry, but also the excellent prospects that our country offers. "The Greek tourism product has evolved, Greece is becoming a destination for the whole year and offers new and innovative tourist experiences of added value. With visitors hopefully reaching 30 million per year, our country is now among the top 10 tourist destinations in the world, while at the same time it is a success story for attracting investment in the real estate industry."

As pointed out, during the discussion, hotel chains, project development companies, but also investment funds, see Greece as a destination for long-term investments, while focusing their interest on projects with a significant environmental footprint and high aesthetics.

At the same time, there was a trend for the development of ultra luxury units in the Mediterranean and of course in Greece, for which there remains a strong interest in the operation of budget hotels. At the same time, it was pointed out that the development of tourist facilities in lesser-known destinations is still of great interest, while the interest in branded residences is just as strong, with well-known international companies already negotiating their activities in our country.

Source: ΑΠΕ ΜΠΕ