As we go through a period of unprecedented crisis with profound consequences for both our fellow citizens and the economy, it is more crucial than ever to safeguard public health above all else. The Ministry of Tourism, GNTO and all tourism agencies are working alongside the Greek government to fight the coronavirus pandemic, proposing the only responsible option for Greek society as a whole, the option to “stay at home”.
At the same time, the government and tourism operators are responding directly and immediately to the severe crisis that the Covid 19 virus has caused for the tourism industry. In addition to the measures taken by the state to support the industry, the Ministry of Tourism, GNTO and Marketing Greece have come together to create the online platform Greece From Home, an initiative which will strengthen our country’s presence and image during the pandemic.
The Greece From Home initiative, which has “from home” as its basic message, is focused on three main goals: to help people from all over the world to stay in touch with Greek civilisation and culture, to discover and be inspired by the beauties of the country and improve their digital skills – all while staying home.
Commenting on the Greece From Home initiative, the Minister of Tourism, Mr. Haris Theocharis, said “The government today, in addition to measures to protect public health, shield and restart the economy and rebuild Greek society, is also taking initiatives to strengthen and manage our country’s image as a tourist destination as part of the overall strategy to tackle the COVID-19 virus pandemic.” He continued, , “We fully support people’s choices to stay at home and, in relation to the tourism sector, we are keeping in touch with our public by concentrating on the basic message From Home, in our homes, focusing on our country and what Greece stands for in terms of ideas, values and experiences. It is especially important in these difficult times that the public and private sectors cooperate seamlessly and work intensively to keep Greek tourism at the forefront of people’s minds in this difficult present while, at the same time, preparing for the future. I thank EOT, Google and Marketing Greece for their direct cooperation in the design and implementation of this initiative.”
The Greece From Home platform was designed by the Greek Government’s Chief Creative Officer, Steve Vranakis, and his creative teams Ithaca Lab and Prinz & Co, in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, EOT, Marketing Greece and Google.
EOT immediately moved to promote the platform online, aiming at the main markets where visitors to Greece are based so that, through Greece From Home, the Greek brand’s relationship with the international public can be maintained throughout the Covid-19 virus pandemic.
The General Secretary of EOT, Mr. Dimitris Fragkakis, points out that: “Greek tourism is actively present in an unprecedented crisis. For as long as our guests are staying at home we, as a brand and as a destination, can stay close to them, from our home, from Greece, through Greece From Home”. He adds: “With the Greece From Home campaign, we are fully aware of the difficult social and psychological conditions which have been imposed almost all over the world in response to the pandemic, which is why our main goal is to send a message of support to those who are currently going through this. However, it is also a strategic action in support of Greek tourism as part of our preparations for the days to come.”
Mrs. Ioanna Dretta is the CEO of Marketing Greece which supports the Greece From Home platform featuring original content about Greece through discovergreece.com which promotes many different aspects of the country and the experiences it has to offer – inspiring people to dream. Commenting on the Greece From Home initiative, she states “We are living in disturbing times and what we all have to do is to join forces. Today, more than ever, Greece and Greek tourism need to send their own message of hope and optimism as far and wide as possible – a message that these days will pass and we will all be together again. Until this time comes, we invite the international travelling public to dream from the safety of their own home about the moment when they can visit our country and live their own Greek summer.”
The third pillar of the Greece From Home initiative concerns education and is primarily aimed at Greek tourism professionals, It is implemented with the support of Google which provides important digital tools for free interactive home education through the programme Grow Greek Tourism Online.
For her part, Mrs. Peggy Antonakou, general manager of Google Southeast Europe, said: “The period we are going through represents an unprecedented challenge for our society and our economy. The immediate priority at the moment is health, but it is important that we continue to communicate, create and learn. With that in mind, we are supporting this important Ministry of Tourism initiative so that, with the help of technology and the YouTube platform, the time we spend at home can be put to use in the best possible way for Greek tourism. At the same time, we are supporting learning initiatives such as Grow Greek Tourism Online. Our goal is to strengthen the tourism industry with digital tools and skills so that it can manage the challenges of today, but also so it can be strengthened overall for an even better tomorrow.”
More specifically, the #greecefromhome initiative is built around 3 pillars:
Seeing
People are encouraged and given inspiration to stay home and to stay connected to Greece through the GNTO channel Visit Greece on YouTube. The channel will offer specially selected new content by Greek creators from around the world and will include Greek music, gastronomy, theater, dance, sports, fashion, as well as videos featuring destinations and experiences from all over Greece.
Travelling
The goal here is for everyone to be able to “visit” Greece from home. With www.discovergreece.com, we have created a digital portal with rich content and exciting digital experiences. People can enjoy archaeological sites and museums, villages and traditions, gastronomy, touring and nature… all from the safety of their homes.
Learning
In order to strengthen tourism businesses by giving them the right skills, the Greece From Home initiative, in partnership with Google’s Grow Greek Tourism Online programme, introduces a number of new home learning initiatives. These training sessions are available from April 2 and will be offered free of charge on a daily basis. They include interactive online group tutorials covering a wide range of topics, from how to create a digital marketing plan for your business to how to work remotely, and more. It is also possible to arrange one-on-one online meetings directly with one of Google’s specialist partners so that each business can receive personalised tips, tailored to their own needs, on how to strengthen their digital presence.
Anyone interested can learn more and sign up through the page: g.co/greektourism/seminarsfromhome
When they have completed the seminars, participants will receive a certificate of attendance from Google, the Ministry of Tourism and IAB Europe.
The main launch video for the platform can be found here