Tourism is exclusively a developmental industry and comprises a powerful tool for eliminating regional inequalities, Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis said Monday.

 

Addressing the inaugural Forum on Tourism which is organized by the Tourism Development Ministry, Karamanlis spoke of a model of tourism development revolving around the individual and aiming at generating prosperity.

 

"It is necessary for Greece to become competitive in the tourism sector as well, so that it can develop even further," the prime minister stressed.

 

Outlining the government's accomplishments in the tourism sector, Karamanlis said that Greece, for the first time, was acquiring a goal-oriented advertising campaign and specialized planning that ensured transparency in its tourism policy.

 

Greece is one of the most popular tourist destinations worldwide. The tourist sector constitutes one of the main sources of Greece's national wealth, as it contributes annually more than 18 percent to the GDP and creates approximately 700,000 jobs and also plays a decisive role in the development of the country.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 6, 2007)