Tourism promotion programme approved by town council
CORFU. The 2018 tourist promotion programme for the Municipality of Corfu was approved by a majority vote. The local party ‘Laiki Syspirosi’ voted against.
In his presentation of the programme, the deputy mayor for tourism, Vassilis Kavadias, said that the tourism budget for this year is 84% higher than last year’s. The amount available is 248,000 Euros - which is earmarked purely for tourism - as well as possible funding from European programmes.
Corfu’s tourism strategy is in line with the targets set by the Integrated Territorial Investment (OHE) programme:
The promotion of Corfu as an internationally recognized creative and cultural destination offering multiple themes and products a) maintaining its share of the ‘sun and sea’ market and b) gradually developing the model of ‘Tourism / Recreation / Culture / Living experience’.
To implement the strategy the myth of Odysseus (Ulysses) is being used as Homer’s Odyssey is one of the most translated and widely read books in the world and is full of symbolisms. Homer offers Corfu a great gift by choosing it as a meeting place and gives us the two key words – hospitality and narrative. Hospitality from Nausicaä and narrative from Odysseus. In the persons of Nausicaä, Alcinous, Arete and all the Phaeacians we can see true hospitality as well as the giving of material and intangible goods, welcoming and giving shelter, symposia, musical, cultural and athletic events in honour of the ‘foreigner’, the offering of gifts and helping him return to his homeland.
The strategy revolves around 5 axes, with specific targets and activities as follows:
