Yiannis Retsos

Tourism cannot operate on autopilot, Yiannis Retsos, head of the Greek Tourism Confederation, said on Friday.

Speaking at the entity's annual conference, he explained that the future of the sector demands the formation of strategic management and the immediate implementation of plans, with tourism in Greece expanding into spheres beyond the sea-and-sun model.

Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) president Yiannis Retsos warned on Wednesday that "no one has guaranteed we will not drop from 30 million visitors to 20 million," stressing that Greece's strategic priority should be the optimum management of its destinations.

London's World Travel Market this month offered some fresh positive signs regarding British visitors to Greece next year.

Tourism will likely have another record year in 2018, but it is only through the constant strengthening of the tourism product's competitiveness and sustainable growth that more investments can be implemented in the sector, leading to growth in revenues and jobs. This was the conclusion of the 16th annual conference of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), which ended on Tuesday.

Museums and archaeological sites in Attica may not open to the public this weekend as the Panhellenic Federation of Culture Ministry Employees has called a strike for July 29-30, generating a strong reaction by the tourism industry.

Dozens of tourism investments are under threat due to the lack of zoning plans, while overtaxation is putting the future course of the sector at risk according to data and estimates presented during Thursday's annual general meeting of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE).

This year's annual general meeting of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) holds special significance both for the industry and politically, taking place at what is a key juncture for tourism in Greece.

Visitor numbers to Greece will top 35 million a year by 2021, while tourism revenues will range between 19 and 20 billion euros, contributing 6 or 7 percent of gross domestic product, Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) president Andreas Andreadis told Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras during a meeting at Maximos Mansion on Monday in the presence of SETE vice president Yiannis Retsos and Tourism Min

Speaking at the first open conference of the Confederation of Greek Businessmen’s Tourist Accommodations, held on the sidelines of the Expo Hotel at the Tae Kwon Do stadium, President of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) Andreas Andreadis pointed out that the 2016 season had ended with a rise of 1.5 million tourist arrivals, the total of which amounted to 25 million.

Following the year-on-year drop in travel receipts over the first seven months of 2016 and the expected decline of 25 percent in hotel enterprises' net results, there are ominous signs for the industry next year too, according to Greek hoteliers.