The UK and Greece have signed their first formal tourism cooperation agreement, a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) designed to deepen collaboration across both countries’ visitor economies and unlock new opportunities in investment, innovation and skills.
The agreement was formalised in London at a meeting between UK Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock and her Greek counterpart, Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, and marks a significant step in bilateral relations between two nations already bound by one of Europe’s busiest holiday corridors.
Around five million UK travellers visit Greece each year, making it one of Britain’s most popular destinations, while Greek visitor numbers to the UK have continued to climb since the pandemic. With flight disruption and shifting travel patterns prompting many British travellers to favour stable, well-connected destinations, officials on both sides see the agreement as timely.
The MoU sets out eight strands of cooperation, spanning tourism promotion, sustainability, digitalisation, vocational training and institutional collaboration. Both governments have committed to encouraging entrepreneurship, sharing best practice and exchanging expertise on tourism policy, legislation and emerging global trends.
There is also a strong emphasis on special-interest tourism, from film, culture and gastronomy to wine, rural and hiking tourism, as both nations look to diversify their offerings for travellers seeking deeper, more immersive experiences, a trend that mirrors the continued rise of blended business and leisure travel.
The partnership will additionally support joint participation in trade fairs, exhibitions and promotional events, alongside the exchange of data and insights on visitor satisfaction and new tourism products.
UK Tourism Minister Stephanie Peacock said the agreement would help both nations support the millions who travel between them each year and strengthen sustainable development across the sector. Full details of the deal have been published by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Greek Minister Olga Kefalogianni described the MoU as a “modern framework” that expands cooperation into innovation, investment and education, opening new opportunities for businesses and travellers alike. Greek trade press has hailed the deal as the first-ever tourism cooperation agreement between the two countries.
A bilateral working group has been established to oversee implementation. It will meet remotely and draw on expertise from both the public and private tourism sectors.
The agreement aligns with the UK government’s wider commitment to strengthening relationships with EU member states and will feed into the forthcoming Visitor Economy Growth Strategy, arriving as the industry sharpens its focus on sustainability, investment and global growth.
