Page 12 - iGreece_Thessaloniki-ECTAA 2022

By Frank Oostdam,

President of ECTAA

It is with a real pleasure for Therefore, despite the many challenges the trav-
el industry is confronted to, I believe the period is
ECTAA to hold its next semi- offering us many opportunities to present Greece as
annual meeting inThessaloniki. a destination where holidaymakers can anticipate that
the unexpected might happen.

After 7 meetings in Greece since 1982, ECTAA Customers are eager to travel more responsibly,
will be for the first time in this beautiful and vi- more sustainably, to leave the beaten tracks and re-
brant city. While preparing the event with our col- connect with culture and nature. Is this the result of
leagues from HATTA, we re-discovered an historical the COVID-pandemic or simply the awareness that we
place, with well-preserved remains from ancient times, have to adapt to new times, I don’t know but this is a
a booming cruise industry and a dynamic service indus- clear and strong trend that travel advisors are commit-
try. Being the hub of Northern Greece offers opportu- ted to transpose into business reality.
nities for travellers, both business and leisure.

Whereas Athens and South Aegean archipelago
remain as the “traditional destinations’”, Greece
is so much more! Our role as travel advisors is to
guide them to new places, discover unknown gems, en-
joy with both curiosity and respect and we have with
Greece a sea of possibilities. The initiative from the
Greek government to present Greece as a year-round Frank Oostdam,
destination is in that respect very helpful. President of ECTAA

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