Athanasios Tsonis Deputy Head of Tourism An. Macedonia and Thrace : “The bet in the post-covid era is to win the trust of the visitor”

“Tthe bet on the meta covid era is to win the trust of the visitor”

The reasons why the region of Eastern Macedonia – Thrace remains a safe choice for travel is explained in .grtraveller by the vice-regional head of tourism, Mr. Athanasios Tsonis, and shows us around a place “full of authentic experiences”.

Tell us five reasons why Greek travellers should visit the region of An. Macedonia – Thrace this autumn

You’re giving me a hard time with your “good morning”. Five reasons are few and far between and what to say first. The Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace is an ideal destination for all year round. Because simply here, one can find all the experiences that will make you feel that you are escaping from the tedious everyday life. Walks in the alleys of the old town of Xanthi or on the beach and the castle of Kavala, traditional and quality food, contact with nature, hiking and relaxation in Paranesti or boating in the Evros Delta, the gastronomy of Komotini, entertainment in Alexandroupolis, museums and churches of great interest… And of course, always a constant value our islands, Thassos and Samothrace, which are equally beautiful destinations in autumn…

”My Thrace is a place

located on the edge of Greece

carries Greece in his heart.

Virgin Mary Cosmos in Ferres

The city of Komotini

The coronavirus turned travel around the world upside down. How safe are the destinations in the region and how do you plan to prepare them for the post-Covid era?

The bet in the post-covid era is to win the trust of the visitor. We, as the official data showed, have managed to remain a safe destination throughout this period, not only because the professionals have responsibly taken care to comply with all the sanitary measures but also because we are a destination that is not conducive to overcrowding. We have an abundance of open spaces, we provide an outlet for nature and alternative activities for which I believe there will be an increase in demand, as people with incarceration have come to appreciate more the freedom that one feels in nature and open space environments in general.

As far as our preparation for tomorrow is concerned, it has already started “yesterday”. In the sense that we turned to the promotion of our place using technology and the internet. We took care and we continue to promote the destination, reminding the potential visitor of the beauties of the place. We had a good summer, the response of foreign and Greek tourists was great and I think we have now managed to conquer the promotion that is done as “word of mouth” creating a “legacy” for next year.

How do you plan to attract more Greek travellers to the region?ια Macedonia – Thrace region?

We have already taken care of the renewal of the platform of our region where the visitor can enter the page www.emtgreece.com and navigate mentally in all the areas to get a first picture while we continue to promote with all the means at our disposal, we strengthen our presence in all the actions of the Greek National Tourism Organization and wherever else required, either with physical presence or online (depending on the health conditions) and above all we cooperate with tourism professionals in order to assist in tourism education and the improvement of tourism.

The “Five Senses” column of grtraveller “travels” to Evros, Rhodope and Xanthi. Tell us about the Thrace of your heart. How does it fascinate visitors? What kind of experiences does it offer?

Each person has his own filter. My Thrace is a place that, although it is on the edge of Greece, carries Greece in its heart. He is indestructible, full of authentic experiences. It doesn’t fool you, it shows you from the beginning what it is. It makes you enchanted by its wild beauty, it makes you travel between peoples, traditions, customs and traditions that coexist harmoniously and create a fascinating mosaic. It tests your endurance on its mountains and rivers and coaxes you to its beaches and traditional taverns.