Google's "Grow Greek Tourism Online" initiative: First official action of the new National Alliance

Today, the Minister of Administrative Reconstruction, Olga Gerovasilli, announced the launch of the "National Alliance for the Enhancement of Digital Skills and Employment".

The first official action of the National Alliance is a digital training program by Google through the "Grow Greek Tourism Online" initiative, which aims at enhancing the digital skills of local entrepreneurs in Epirus, inter alia, to extend the tourist season to area. Google's Grow Greek Tourism Online initiative is under the auspices of the Ministry of Administrative Reconstruction.

Especially for Ioannina and the Region of Epirus, the training in digital skills and related tools that Google offers for free to both students, students and tourism professionals will be done with the help of Google Advisers, Online Advisors , who have received special, extensive training from Google and marketers and tourism professionals on online tools for tourism.

Two online Advisors, who originate in Epirus, have already settled in the region and will be conducting free personalized meetings and group seminars for local small and medium-sized businesses in the wider tourist industry. The training will focus on digital skills as well as on how companies can apply these skills in practice to show the world and potential travelers what the region and businesses can offer, even in periods outside of strictly tourist season.

The event was welcomed by the Minister of Administrative Reconstruction, Ms Olga Gerovassili, the Vice Deputy Regional Governor of Epirus, Mr. Vassilis Gorgolis and the Representative of the European Commission in Greece, Mr. George Markopoulos. The program for the Region of Epirus was presented by Google Marketing Director Maria Fountas in Greece. They also spoke, Mr. Christos Kokkalas, Head of Department of Innovation & Best Practices of the Ministry of Administrative Reconstruction, who presented the pilot project of the EU. "Digital Opportunity" and Mr. Nikos Michalopoulos, Head of the General Administration of Public Organizations of the Ministry of Administrative Reconstruction, on "Proposed Digital Public Administration Manifesto".

The announcement of this important collaboration is the new extension of Google's initiative, which has already trained over 90,000 Greeks to date across the country. According to a survey, 67% of trained entrepreneurs1 confirmed that after the training they received they saw specific commercial results, while 81% of all trainees reported that they changed the way the internet is used.

Official Statements:

Alexandros Kakrimanis, Regional Governor of Epirus: "The cooperation of the Region with Google within the" Grow Greek Tourism Online "initiative, we are confident that it will contribute to the improvement of the visibility of the Continental Enterprises. There are already very positive examples from the seminars previously organized by Google in our region where companies and students have become members of the digital skills and tools provided by this initiative. The prospects opened with Google's program are also marked by the fact that it is part of the National Alliance for Digital Skills and Employment and is under the auspices of the Ministry of Administrative Reconstruction. "

Olga Gerovasilli, Minister for Administrative Reconstruction:  "We are fully aware that as long as the political choices and a development plan are complete, without the activation of the productive forces of the country, its success is not guaranteed. The "National Alliance for Digital Skills and Employment" is such a model of a creative partnership between the government, the local government and the private sector, in which the role of the Ministry of Administrative Reconstruction is coordinating. I believe it is obvious to all of us that strengthening digital skills in modern times helps to reduce unemployment and increase productivity