Minister Kefalogianni in Corfu for Extensive Meeting on Ionian Islands Tourism
Corfu, April 8, 2026 – Following an invitation from the Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands, Ioannis Trepekli, Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, accompanied by the Secretary General for Tourism Policy and Development, Vassiliki Koutsoukou, held a wide-ranging meeting in Corfu. The meeting brought together representatives from local government, chambers of commerce, and various tourism bodies from the Ionian Islands to address critical issues impacting the ongoing tourist season and the broader Greek tourism sector.
Focus on Sustainable Development and Infrastructure
The discussions primarily focused on sustainable tourism development and enhancing the resilience of the islands through infrastructure upgrades. The goal is to further boost tourism and extend the tourist season. Additionally, immediate priorities for the current tourist season were addressed, including the smooth operation of international airports, with a particular emphasis on the need for more efficient passport control services for British visitors, given the UK is a top inbound tourism market for Greece.
Specifically, regarding support for actions and infrastructure based on special forms of tourism, the Minister highlighted the importance of upgrading and expanding tourism infrastructure in marinas. This is expected to attract higher-quality visitors and create a modernized network to enhance marine tourism. Olga Kefalogianni also emphasized more targeted promotion – using modern and digitized tools that the Ministry of Tourism and the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) will soon have available through projects funded by the Recovery and Resilience Facility – of the islands’ unique cultural, gastronomic, and natural wealth, strengthening the country’s potential for year-round tourism.
Minister’s Statement and Future Plans
Following the meeting, the Minister of Tourism stated: “The Ministry of Tourism always stands by the Region of the Ionian Islands, which plays a leading role in the dynamic progress of Greek tourism. I would like to convey an optimistic message for this year’s Greek tourism, from the island of Corfu, despite the serious geopolitical turmoil due to the situation in the Middle East, that both the state and local government and the private sector have the experience and maturity to rise to the occasion in this conjuncture. The Ministry of Tourism continues to work for the qualitative upgrade of the tourism product of the Ionian Islands. In Corfu, we are proceeding with the modernization of the Gouvia marina with 4.3 million euros in funding from the RRF, while the Imerolia marina in the northern part of the island was recently designated. Furthermore, we are particularly interested in highlighting the cultural richness of the islands, which is a special element of their character and unique identity.”
Attendees and Key Stakeholders
The meeting, held at the seat of the Ionian Islands Region, in the presence of the Regional Governor, included representatives from local government, tourism bodies, air traffic management, chambers of commerce, hotel associations, the police, and port authorities. Representatives from Ionian Islands bodies also participated in the discussion via teleconference.
Specifically, the attendees included:
- George Machimaris, Mayor of North Corfu
- Stefanos Poulimenos, Mayor of Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands
- Giannis Kavvadias, Mayor of South Corfu
- Spyros Vlachopoulos, Mayor of Paxos
- Pavlos Vasilopoulos, Director of Fraport Corfu
- Aris Batsoulis, Technical Works Director of OLKE
- Konstantinos Merianos, President of the Corfu Hoteliers Association
- Konstantinos Mouzakitis, President of the Corfu Chamber of Commerce
- Napoleon Patras, President of AOCTA, and Nikos Aspiotis, Vice President
- Dimitris Voulgaris, General Regional Police Director of the Ionian Islands
- Periklis Katsaros, President of the Corfu Accommodation Federation
Participating via teleconference were:
- Christina Tetradi, President of the Zakynthos Hoteliers Association and Vice President of HCH
- George Gerontakis, President of the Tourism Department of the Kefalonia Chamber of Commerce
- George Margaris, Vice President of the Special Tourism Committee of the Ionian Islands
- Spyros Katsouris, Secretary General of the Kefalonia Chamber of Commerce
The meeting underscored the government’s commitment to supporting the Ionian Islands as a key pillar of Greek tourism, with a clear strategy for sustainable growth and enhanced visitor experience.
Source: skai.gr
