According to an official statement, the regions of Epirus, Thessaly, and Central Greece, along with the Chambers of Commerce of Evia and Larissa, were also represented at the national pavilion. The turnout of company representatives from various countries surpassed expectations, as evidenced by the 12,000 business connections established by Greek exporters throughout the duration of the exhibition."

  More specifically, procedures will resume from Saturday, 24th of February, 2024, at 15:00, the Civil Aviation Authority announced on Friday.

Given the geopolitical developments in the wider region as well as the current situation in European countries for Greek tourism, the Ministry of Tourism places special emphasis on the US market, Kefalogianni stressed, aiming to make Greece a Top of Mind destination for Americans. In order for Greece to climb to the top of the US list, the Ministry of Tourism, underlined Kefalogianni, is considering, among other things, the expansion of cooperation with the platform of global appeal, TripAdvisor, focusing on promotional actions that will contribute to the extension of the tourist season in our country and will target high-income travelers. Kefalogianni made a special reference to Turkiye, underlining that this year special emphasis will be given, since the estimates of tourist agents speak of arrivals of 1 million to Greece, compared to 800,000 in 2019. In terms of emerging markets, such as India and China, the Ministry of Tourism is aiming to expand to these markets, after the pandemic froze any actions that had been attempted in the past. Aiming at the development of road tourism, especially in northern Greece, Kefalogianni will be in Serbia on February 21, where she will inaugurate together with the president of Serbia the tourism exhibition, where Greece is an honored country.

According to a press release, Sophia participated in a technology and information event organized by companies from Greece and Cyprus. From the event stage, she announced that she will be back in Greece in March, visiting Rhodes and Nafpaktos.  Sophia speaks 20 languages, including Greek flawlessly, and will participate in the first 'Greek Festival' taking place in Rhodes.  This cultural celebration showcases the history, traditions, flavors, and customs of the Dodecanese Islands, with the participation of embassies, academics, scientists, and entrepreneurs. At the Rodos Palace on March 8, Sophia will preside over the closing ceremony and the Greek Entrepreneurship Conference. On March 10, she will be present at the Meet Sophia Conference in the Holy Monastery Metamorfossi tou Sotiros (Transfiguration of Christ) in Skala Nafpaktias, north of Nafpaktos proper, facing the Corinthian Gulf. There, she will engage with representatives from various faiths, addressing questions on artificial intelligence and ethics. Among the issues examined will be the protection of privacy and the safeguarding of justice and of human values.  Sophia is a social humanoid robot developed by Hong Kong-based Hanson Robotics, and is represented in Greece by Victorious Network. She was activated on February 14, 2016 and made her first public appearance in mid-March 2016. She has met with state leaders and widely recognized individuals, and has given interviews at the greatest television networks of the globe.

Speaking to lawmakers in Parliament, Lina Mendoni said that “upgrades of all services,” such as a new electronic ticket system, have driven a “constant increase” in the iconic historical site’s revenues. Responding to objections at a decision to increase the cost of admission, which opposition lawmakers say will go up as much as 300%, Mendoni said that the monument’s new pricing falls in line with policies established in other European Union member states, and that it will be implemented come April of 2025.  

They paid significant attention to showcasing Greek gastronomy and enhancing Greece’s overall appeal as a desirable tourist destination for Swedish visitors, not only during the summer months but throughout the year. Furthermore, they explored the use of innovative digital tools, including artificial intelligence, in the tourism sector, and explored the opportunities for technical know-how exchanges between the 2 countries.

Asked by ANA-MPA about the Germans' vacations plans in the midst of a fiscal crisis and economic recession in their country, Dünhaupt replied that there was no reluctance or unwillingness. "On the contrary", he explained, "pre-bookings for the summer of 2024 are above the levels of 2019 (pre-pandemic)" and he predicted "a good summer in 2024 in the Mediterranean and especially in Greece." Islands, in particular, are in greater demand than ever. "Crete, Rhodes, Kos are the biggest favourites of our customers and occupy positions 3, 4 and 5 in the scale of preferences of German vacationers," said the representative of TUI, noting that his company foresees an increase in demand and is constantly expanding its portfolio. TUI is starting the summer season in Greece earlier than ever, with the first flights arriving in Rhodes and Crete at the start of the (Catholic) Easter holidays, on March 26. "Our airline will offer approximately 600 flights per week to 26 sunny destinations and will have its largest offering from Hanover and Dusseldorf, with 750,000 seats and 150 flights per week at each of the two airports," explained Dünhaupt.

The country is selling 90 million shares, through a combined offering to Greek and foreign investors and existing shareholders, in its biggest IPO after its 2010-2018 debt crisis. Athens International Airport, the operator of Greece's biggest airport, has set the price range for its IPO at 7.0 to 8.2 euros ($7.62 to $8.92) per share, the country's privatisation agency said on Wednesday. The IPO will run from Jan. 25 to Feb. 1 and the final pricing will be determined following the six-day book-building period. The listing on the Athens Stock Exchange is expected to take place in February and the company's free float is expected to be about 19%. The Greek state expects to rake in up to 1.2 billion euros from the sale and a large company dividend paid as part of the deal, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Athens International Airport has agreed to pay shareholders a 685 million-euro dividend in connection with the IPO, more than half of which will go to government entities, one of the sources said, requesting anonymity as the information is not yet public. AviAlliance, which holds a 40% stake in the airport, has agreed to buy a further 10% of the lucrative asset at a premium over the IPO price, as a cornerstone investor. Greece could raise more than 1 billion euros in proceeds from the dividend, the IPO and the cornerstone investment, the sources said. Greece is heavily reliant on tourism and Athens airport handled more than 28 million passengers last year, accounting for 35% of passenger traffic through all the nation's airports. ($1 = 0.9189 euro)

Adjusted prices will be introduced in two phases, the first one starting on April 1st, 2024 and the second one on April 1st, 2025. The 5 new categories of ticketing are as follows: A. Acropolis of Athens, 30 euros B. Archaeological sites and museums (over 200,000 visitors), 20 euros C. Archaeological sites and museums (75,000-200,000 visitors), 15 euros D. Archaeological sites and museums (15,000-75,000 visitors), 10 euros E. Archaeological sites and museums (under 15,000 visitors), 5 euros These ticket prices will be in effect regardless of season, as lower winter prices are abolished. The 5 major Greek museums that were turned into independent entities of public interest, will establish their own pricing policy. These include the National Archaeological Museum, the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki, the Archaeological Museum of Heraklio, the Byzantine & Christian Museum (Athens), and the Museum of Byzantine Culture (Thessaloniki). Single tickets for multiple sites will be abolished except for the following sites: Ancient Olympia, Delphi, Mycenae, and Aegae, or where necessary due to spatial considerations. Free entrance will continue to be offered for EU citizens up to age 25, and for non-EU citizens up to age 25, and reduced ticket prices for EU citizens aged 65+ (October 1-May 31st). A Culture Card will be issued through gov.gr or the local Citizen Service Centers (KEP) for Greek taxpayers, under specific categories.  

The decision extends the EU’s passport-free travel zone, called the Schengen area, to 25 of the 27 EU countries. The Schengen area also includes Norway and Switzerland, which are not part of the EU, but does not include EU members Ireland and Cyprus and EU citizens still must have a passport to enter them. Romanians and Bulgarians will still face passport checks when crossing land borders to their EU neighbors, though talks on lifting them as well will continue in 2024 and a decision is to be taken on that “within a reasonable time frame,” the European Commission said in a statement.

Mitsotakis stressed that the site is testimony to the, “timeless Greek identity of Macedonia through the ages.” Attending the inauguration of the recently restored Palace of Aigai, the PM noted the “great honor” he feels as premier to associate his name and that of his government with the emblematic restoration work at one of the country’s most important archaeological site. He emphasized the global significance of the recently restored structure in northern Greece, declaring it a heritage for the entire world while emphasizing the necessity of transforming such historical treasures into catalysts for economic development. “The significance of such monuments becomes the heritage of the entire world. We must highlight it, promote it, and expand the horizons revealed by each new facet,” Mitsotakis said during the inauguration ceremony on Friday. Mitsotakis emphasized that the monument should serve as an invitation to knowledge and participation, enhancing a sense of belonging and acting as a lever for development. He pledged a political effort to increase the number of visitors to the site, stating, “The more visitors, the more the economy will be stimulated, and the more dynamically this unique cradle of culture will radiate its influence to every corner of the world.” Accompanied by dignitaries and local officials, the prime minister received a guided tour from Angeliki Kottaridi, the head of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Imathia. “Aigai” comes from the same root as the ancient Greek word aiga (goat). With an area of approximately 15,000 square meters, it was the largest building in classical Greece. The project to maintain and restore the Palace of the Goats lasted 16 years and was completed in 2023 with a total budget of 20.3 million Euros. The city of Aigai (Vergina) was the first capital of the Kingdom of Macedonia, and was upgraded with an extensive building program by Philip II, the father of Alexander the Great.  More specifically, Vergina is a village in Northern Greece in the foothills of Mt. Pieria some 75 km from Thessaloniki. It is the location of the ancient capital of the Macedonians, called Aigai which had its heydays during the Archaic and Classic Periods 7th through 4th Centuries B.C. The Palace of Philip II at Aigai is the largest and (together with the Parthenon) the most important building of Classical Greece. You can also visit the site of the Royal Tombs, considered to be one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the last century in the country. In related news, the new museum of Aigai on opened to the public just last year in the town of Vergina, which incorporates the entire archaeological site, the center of ancient Macedonian culture. The new museum unites the Palace of Philip, the royal tombs cluster, and the Museum of the Royal Tombs. It is designed as a conceptual gateway to the archaeological site and to the history of Aigai and of Macedonian culture, as well as of the Hellenistic World, as it will also serve as the site of the Digital Museum “Alexander the Great: from Aigai to the World.”

There was an exchange of honorary plaques, as well as Christmas treats, which were given to all passengers when they disembarked at the Cruise Terminal. The cruise ship in question, with 2500 passengers, sailed from Izmir and continues, according to its schedule, to Dubrovnik and Italy. COSTA ships operate in the port of Piraeus throughout the year, having already recorded 16 arrivals in 2023 - and another 22 are expected in 2024, according to pre-bookings. It is worth noting that according to the provisional data, historical cruise passenger records were reached this year, both in total, as approximately 1.5 million passengers were served, compared to 880,000 in 2022, and in homeport passengers, which amounted to approximately 800,000, compared to 380,000. in 2022. The number of cruise ships served was 760, of which 525 were homeport. However, the new year is even more dynamic for the cruise industry in the port of Piraeus, as pre-bookings have been made for 1042 arrivals with a large increase and a new expected record for homeport ship arrivals (around 800 calls). The president of PPA S.A., Yu Zenggang, expressed his satisfaction with the excellent course of the cruise in the port of Piraeus, typically mentioning that the continuation of the upward trend of the cruise industry is a key pursuit of PPA S.A., as it is a beneficial activity for many different bodies, and mainly for the local community, the port municipalities, Attica, but also the country in general.