Opening up Ionian Islands to Indian market, centered on Corfu
CORFU. Indian tourists display a keen interest in cultural experiences.
(Ionian Islands Regional Authority) The Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands, Yiannis Trepeklis, held a working meeting with the President of the Greek–Indian Chamber of Commerce, Angelos Tsavdaris, and the Chamber’s Modernisation Advisor and Head of Greece–India Relations, Georgia Korakaki, to discuss the formulation of a coordinated strategy for promoting the Ionian Islands in India’s rapidly growing tourism market.
Mr. Trepeklis stated that the Region is systematically investing in opening up to new, high-potential markets, capitalising on recent developments in Greece–India air connectivity and the sharp rise in travel demand from India.
As he noted, Indian travellers show particular interest in culture—an element that constitutes a clear comparative advantage for the Ionian Islands, with their rich historical imprint, monuments, cultural routes, and Heptanesian tradition.
In the immediate future, an organised familiarisation trip for Indian travel agents and journalists to the Ionian Islands is being planned, in cooperation with chambers of commerce and local stakeholders, in order to showcase the region’s advantages in a targeted manner—its culture, gastronomy, high-quality local products, and distinctive island identity.
At the same time, the Regional Governor highlighted the importance of the Region’s institutional outreach, noting that at a later stage the Ionian Islands plan to participate in tourism exhibitions in India in an organised manner, aiming to establish stable channels of cooperation and promotion.
Special emphasis was also placed on sports tourism as a means of approaching the Indian market. During the meeting, it was confirmed that in April, in collaboration with the Corfu-based Cricket Federation, six cricket teams from India will be hosted on the island to stage exhibition matches of India’s national sport, which is also part of Corfu’s tradition. This initiative is expected to enhance the region’s international visibility and create new opportunities for thematic tourism.
For his part, the President of the Greek–Indian Chamber of Commerce noted that visits by Indian tourism professionals to Corfu are being prepared and described the cooperation with the Ionian Islands Region as a catalyst for developing quality visitor flows and promoting Greek products as well as the cultural identity of the Ionian Islands.
Photo: Ionian Islands Regional Authority
