Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Invited to Athens by the President of the Union of Hellenic Chambers, Konstantinos Mihalos, Hisarcıklıoğlu met with the Development, Competition, Infrastructure, Transportation and Networks Minister Kostis Hacidakis and Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni.

During the Hisarcıklıoğlu-Hacidakis meeting Turkey’s experience with IMF and the difficulties during that time and the methods used to navigate the crisis were discussed. Hacidakis touched on the importance of the period of structural reform in Greece in order to allow the development of private enterprise, get out of the financial slump and start to develop again.

Following the meeting with Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that there are great opportunities for the development of Turkish-Greek economic relations and that the first among these is the field of tourism.

- Tourism is the number one sector

Stating that tourism is the number one sector for Greece and Turkey, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “There are many people who travel all over the world but see neither Turkey nor Greece. When you look at the share we have of Greece’s markets, it is less than it was in 2008. In order to take a bigger share of the world tourism the Turkish and Greek tourism sectors must act in unison. Joint destinations, promotions and, like the Minister stated, focus on the Far East.”

Minister Olga Kefaloiganni also made a speech, emphasizing that they will continue talks and collaboration.

During the meeting, the success of the facilitation of obtaining visas for Turkish citizens during the summer months to the Eastern Aegean island was discussed and the development of the program was brought up.
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