Santorini proclaims 2013 'Year of Gastronomy'

The development of Greek gastronomy as a tourism theme is one of her ministry's immediate priorities, Tourism Minister Olga Kefaloyanni said Wednesday, addressing an event organized by the municipality of Thira at the Acropolis Museum in Athens on the occasion of the declaration of 2013 as the Year of Gastronomy on the island of Santorini.

Kefaloyanni said that the promotion of thematic tourism is an immediate priority in the overall strategy for developing Greek tourism, because it will enrich the tourism product and contribute to extending the tourism season, which she said is the big wager for Greek tourism.

In that direction, the Thira municipality's initiative to declare 2013 the "Year of Gastronomy" on Santorini was a praiseworthy effort toward the desired purpose.
She noted that Santorini, which was already a strong destination on the world tourism scene, was the ideal place from which an organized effort could start.

SOURCE: ATHENS NEWS AGENCY