- France remains one of Greece’s strongest tourism markets (4th in receipts, still rising).
- Olga Kefalogianni met top executives from Thalasso N°1 and NG Travel in Paris.
- Greece’s 2026 priorities: season extension, product diversification, and higher quality tourism.
- New emphasis on Northern Greece, Thessaloniki, Peloponnese, plus lesser-known islands.
- A key talking point: expanding Crete packages outside peak months.
- More airline connections, France–Greece + airport upgrades = more off-season arrivals.
- An interview with Le Figaro (200 years running) highlighted accessibility laws and environmental performance ranking.
In France — one of Greece’s most faithful tourism markets and a reliable source of arrivals with money in their pockets — the Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni did what ministers do best: meet, discuss, “evaluate” the previous year, and promise a brighter future with slightly better brochures.
And because Greece loves symbolism almost as much as it loves arrivals statistics, she also gave an interview to Le Figaro, the historic French newspaper celebrating 200 years of continuous publication — meaning it has survived revolutions, wars, fashion crimes, and still found time to cover Greek tourism policy.
GNTO President Angela Varela accompanied Kefalogianni, and together they met with senior executives from Thalasso N°1 and NG Travel, two crucial French tourism players.
The message: France matters, and Greece wants French travelers not only in July and August, but also during those brave months when hotels wonder whether to turn off the lights and go into hibernation.
The Real Target: Autumn, Winter, and the Places That Do Not Get Enough Love
The ministry highlighted three things that have become almost sacred in modern tourism policy language:
- Diversification (meaning: not only Santorini and Mykonos, because we are tired)
- Season extension (meaning: please come when it is not 41°C)
- Quality upgrade (meaning: fewer “cheap party crowds,” more “serious spenders”)
And here is where it becomes genuinely interesting for Argophilia readers:
Where Greece wants French tourists to go (besides the obvious)
- Northern Greece, especially Thessaloniki
- Peloponnese
- lesser-known islands for summer
- and, yes — Crete beyond peak season
This matters because Crete is being pushed as an off-season product, not just a summer blockbuster. That is a big deal because it shifts the conversation from “sun + beach” to culture, food, cities, landscape, hiking, and wellness—the kind of tourism that behaves well and eats properly.
Flights, Airports, and the One Thing That Actually Changes Everything
Now, let us be brutally honest, baby: you can advertise “winter in Greece” until you go hoarse, but if flights are limited and inconvenient, tourists do not magically teleport to Thessaloniki with a scarf and good intentions.
So a significant part of the discussion was increased air connectivity between France and Greece — the kind of practical infrastructure talk that actually makes a difference.
Also included: ongoing investment upgrades at Greek airports, which the ministry presents as part of its overall efforts to improve the visitor experience. (Translation: fewer travel nightmares, fewer angry reviews, and fewer people stuck in queues silently questioning their life choices.)
What She Told Le Figaro
In her interview with Le Figaro, Kefalogianni underlined:
- The strategic role of the French market
- The promotion of less-crowded destinations
- new tourism products and experiences
- legislative steps boosting accessibility
- and the new environmental performance-based classification system
That last point is quietly important: Greece is trying to move toward a model where tourism accommodation is judged not only on luxury but also on sustainability performance, which fits the European mood — and especially the French one.
Why This Matters (Even If It Sounds Like Another Minister Trip)
Because France is not just “another market.” It is:
- Traditionally loyal to Greece.
- interested in culture and gastronomy.
- and increasingly sensitive to sustainability and authenticity.
So when the ministry frames places like Thessaloniki or the Peloponnese as “next season opportunities,” it is an attempt to build a new Greece narrative: one with less crowding, longer seasons, and smarter regional tourism.
And yes — it is also an attempt to say politely, “Please stop only coming in August and then complaining the islands are full.”
