Greek National Tourism Organization

Greek National Tourism Organization
Εθνικός Οργανισμός Τουρισμού

The organization's new logo.
Agency overview
Formed 1927, re-established in 1950
Jurisdiction Ministry for Culture and Tourism
Headquarters 7 Tsoha Street
11521 Athens
 Greece
Agency executives Nikolaos Kanellopoulos, President
George Koletsos, General Secretary
Website www.visitgreece.gr

The Greek National Tourism Organization (Greek: Εθνικός Οργανισμός Τουρισμού, Ethnikos Organismos Tourismou), often appreviated as GNTO (Greek: EOT) is the governmental department for the promotion tourism in the country of Greece. It functions under the supervision of the Hellenic Republic Ministry for Culture and Tourism.

History

The Greek National Tourism Organization was founded in 1927 with the aim of promoting tourism in Greece.[1] For a time period after its establishment the organization was taken over by various ministries, until it was re-founded in 1950.[1] The agency has been the driving force behind the rise in the number of tourists visiting Greece since the 1950s and continues to expand the country's reputation as a tourist destination through its advertising campaigns. Currently, the agency is the single largest tourism promotion agency in the country, and has 27 offices in 21 countries, on 4 continents.[2]

Since 2005, the organization has been subdivided into Regional Departments of Tourism.[1]

Promotion work

Seaside in Greece poster, part of the "xx in Greece" campaign of 2010.

Every year the organization chooses a different theme and motto for its advertising campaigns. Over the years, various successful advertising campaigns have been funded by the organization, including the very successful "Live your myth in Greece" campaign. The 2010 campaign's motto was "You in Greece" and "xx in Greece",[3] and mainly focused on the many opportunities the country provides for tourists, with a variety of different destinations and activities. "You in Athens" and "You in Thessaloniki" were also used to promote the country's two largest cities and centers of culture and entertainment.[4] The latest advertising campaign has also published a variety of promotional TV spots in line with the "You in Greece" poster campaign that have been translated to various languages, including Chinese, Bulgarian and German.[5]

Previous campaign slogans include:

Offices abroad

Currently the GNTO operates offices in the following countries with the aim of promoting tourism in Greece:[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "About us". www.visitgreece.gr. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "GNTO Offices Abroad". www.visitgreece.gr. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  3. ↑ "Advertising campaigns: 2010". www.visitgreece.gr. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  4. ↑ "Advertising campaigns: 2010 wallpapers". www.visitgreece.gr. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  5. ↑ "Advertising campaigns: 2010 videos". www.visitgreece.gr. Retrieved 19 May 2011.

External links