With the start of the visa-free regime, communication between Ukraine and the EU countries is gaining momentum. One of the directions of mutually beneficial relations is tourism, through which each country reveals itself on different sides: geography, architecture, history, culture, medicine, and much more.
The Tourism Centre of Greece in Ukraine was opened
This autumn, the Tourism Centre of Greece in Ukraine was opened in Kyiv, where the Ukrainians will be given answers to a wide variety of questions about travelling to Greece and will be helped organize a journey fit every taste, from simple to the most demanding one.
The director, Ioannis Dasopoulos, tells “Fashion of Diplomacy” about the opening of the Tourism Centre of Greece in Ukraine and its activity.
Please, tell us why it was decided to create a similar centre in Ukraine?
— Ukraine is not just our longtime friend and trading partner. Ukraine is a big country. It has giant, limitless potential. However, it is not a secret to anyone that tourism is the main focus of Ukrainian-Greek cooperation. Therefore, the creation of the Tourism Center of Greece, primarily, is aimed at streamlining the tourist services market. I want to emphasize separately — it is about Greek tourist services for Ukrainian tourists. We want as many Ukrainians as possible to come to Greece.
What are its main functions?
— First of all, we want any Ukrainian in Greece to feel at home. We want a person, while going to us, to be able to choose the range of services that their financial capabilities allow them. A person should know, for example, where to take a taxi at the airport, in which banking network to exchange currency at the most favourable rate. These are not trivialities. Such information is one of our key priorities.
How would you describe those who you see as the main clients of such an information centre?
— These are all who want to visit Greece. We provide information not only about Greek travel companies, not only about Greek hotels. We inform about interesting facts concerning the Greek infrastructure and interesting places in our country, which do not always come into the view of tourism operators. If, let us say, a Ukrainian student wants to visit Greece and see Aristotle’s grave, then we will advise them how to do it, where to stay, how to get there in the cheapest and fastest way. In addition, I think you have heard about Work and Travel. We would like to have a similar program for Greece — we want young Ukrainians to visit our country, learn our language, and become acquainted with our traditions.
Is there an interest of the Greek side to have a similar Ukrainian centre in the country?
— I cannot say anything about this, because such an initiative should come from the Ukrainian side. Personally, I would be pleased if the Ukrainians had a similar centre in Athens and informed the Greeks about the peculiarities of travelling around Ukraine. I must point out that the Ukrainian Embassy in Greece is doing an important, difficult and hard work, introducing the Greeks to Ukraine, and it is doing the job very and very professionally. This includes not only tourism but also culture and business.
What would you like to wish the Ukrainians?
— You are having difficult times now. I am aware of that. I have been in Ukraine relatively not much time, but I am impressed and inspired by the extraordinary hard-working nature and indestructible optimism of your people. I fell in love with Ukraine and the Ukrainians; therefore, I am convinced that great and wonderful future awaits you…
