Greece and China Talk Tourism: Weddings, Culture, and Air Connections

• Strengthening tourism cooperation between Greece and China.
• Focus on cultural tourism and wedding destinations.
• Highlighting lesser-known Greek travel spots.
• Support for the upcoming High-Level Tourism Cooperation Summit.
• Possibilities for new air routes linking Greece and China.

Greek Islands + Chinese Weddings = Match Made in Heaven

Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni recently welcomed Fang Qiu, the new Chinese Ambassador to Greece, in a meeting that was all about strengthening ties between the two nations. Specifically, ties involving tourists, planes, lovebirds, and China’s fascination with the Aegean. Because, naturally, if you can have a backdrop of stunning Greek islands for your wedding, why wouldn’t you? If this meeting had a slogan, it would probably be “Greece: Where ancient history meets modern-day fairytale weddings.”

The discussion highlighted shared goals for tourism growth. Both sides agreed that cultural tourism and weddings are the bee’s knees when attracting Chinese visitors. Oh, and don’t forget those off-the-beaten-path locations that most international tourists ignore. Greece wants to give them a starring role in this partnership, offering something a bit more exotic than just Santorini and Athens.

Flying High: New Air Routes on the Table

Another hot topic of the meeting was air travel. Beyond the main Beijing-Shanghai-Athens route that already exists, the idea of adding flights directly to Greece’s most jaw-dropping destinations came up. The logic? Make it even easier for the “average” Chinese tourist to swap the Great Wall for the Parthenon without a three-hour layover in Shanghai.

But wait—there’s more. The Chinese Ambassador also fully supported the upcoming High-Level Tourism Cooperation Summit, part of the 14+1 initiative involving Central and Eastern European countries and China. Set to happen sometime near the end of the first quarter, this summit is a power meeting to decide how to get more Chinese tourists to snap selfies in Central Europe and Greece—and preferably spend some money while they’re at it.

Greece: China’s Top European Crush

According to Ambassador Qiu, Greece isn’t just any vacation spot. It’s one of the top five European destinations for Chinese travellers, who see Greece as the textbook definition of beauty and culture. And let’s not forget that Greek islands are famously seen as the “Sea of Love” in China. We’re talking weddings galore, as many Chinese couples are already tying the knot on these idyllic islands. Who wouldn’t want to say “I do” surrounded by blue domes and whitewashed houses?

The real takeaway here? Greece is upping its game to steal even more hearts from China. And if a few new air routes and lesser-known islands get their moment in the spotlight, even better. Who knows? By this time next year, there could be even more Chinese tourists eating baklava and taking wedding photos by the sea. Can you blame them?

Συνάντηση Υπουργού Τουρισμού με τον νέο Πρέσβη της Λαϊκής Δημοκρατίας της Κίνας στην Ελλάδα κ. Fang Qiu