The official presentation of Visit Peloponnese, the new Destination Management & Marketing Organization (DMMO), took place in Tripoli, the administrative capital of the Region of Peloponnese, marking the beginning of a new era for tourism across the region.
The event was attended by the Minister of Tourism, Ms. Olga Kefalogianni, the Regional Governor of Peloponnese, Mr. Dimitris Ptochos, and the Deputy Regional Governor for Tourism, Mr. Thanos Michelongonas, who presented their shared vision for establishing a modern destination management model based on collaboration, strategic planning, knowledge and sustainable development.
The event also brought together mayors and deputy mayors from municipalities across the Peloponnese, representatives of chambers of commerce, tourism, hospitality and food service organizations, executives of development agencies, and members of the wider tourism ecosystem of the region, demonstrating in practice the importance of collaboration, networking and a shared strategy for strengthening the destination's identity and competitiveness.
Olga Kefalogianni: “Excellent cooperation is the foundation of success”
Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni delivered the keynote address, highlighting the excellent cooperation that has been established between the Ministry of Tourism and the Region of Peloponnese. She emphasized that this partnership serves as a model for implementing Greece's new national destination management policy.
The Minister underlined that the Peloponnese offers a unique combination of natural beauty, cultural heritage, mountainous landscapes and an extensive coastline, enabling the region to develop a diverse, high-quality tourism product capable of attracting visitors throughout the year.
She also highlighted the significance of Visit Peloponnese, noting that the Region of Peloponnese is among the first regions in Greece to implement the new destination governance model through a DMMO. As she explained, Destination Management and Marketing Organizations are a key pillar of the national tourism strategy, strengthening destination management, stakeholder cooperation, product development and overall competitiveness.
The Minister also referred to the significant investments being implemented through the Recovery and Resilience Facility, initiatives supporting mountain tourism, as well as the new opportunities created by the upgrade of Kalamata International Airport and the region's modern infrastructure.
Dimitris Ptochos: “We are building a unified tourism identity for the entire Peloponnese”
In his address, Regional Governor Dimitris Ptochos described Visit Peloponnese as one of the Region's most significant strategic initiatives, stressing that it is not simply the creation of a new organization but the introduction of a new philosophy of tourism governance, collaboration and development.
He emphasized that the Region's greatest challenge is fostering a strong Peloponnesian identity, through which public authorities, businesses and local communities will operate as part of a single destination, sharing a common vision, strategy and identity.
"The Peloponnese is not merely the sum of individual destinations. It is one region with a unique identity, world-class natural and cultural assets, and enormous development potential. Our strength lies in unity, collaboration and our shared journey," he stated.
The Regional Governor explained that Visit Peloponnese was created to unite the entire Region under one common strategy, transcending administrative boundaries and local perspectives so that the Peloponnese can be promoted and developed holistically as a modern, authentic and internationally competitive destination.
He also highlighted the close cooperation with the Ministry of Tourism, noting that this partnership demonstrates how central government and regional authorities, working together with trust, a shared vision and clear objectives, can establish a new model of sustainable tourism development for Greece.
Thanos Michelongonas: “From destination promotion to destination management”
Deputy Regional Governor for Tourism Thanos Michelongonas presented the vision and operational framework of Visit Peloponnese, explaining that the new organization was not established to become yet another promotional body, but rather a permanent mechanism connecting strategy with implementation.
As he noted, Visit Peloponnese represents the transition from destination promotion to destination management through a model built on collaboration, knowledge, innovation, data and the active participation of all tourism stakeholders.
He presented the organization's three core activation pillars—Peloponnese Connect, the Visit Peloponnese Talent Pool, and the Tourism Committee—which will form the foundation of the destination's new collaborative ecosystem, transforming a shared vision into measurable value for the entire Peloponnese.
The official launch of Visit Peloponnese marks the beginning of a new chapter for the region—one where destination management is driven by collaboration, participation, knowledge and long-term strategic planning, with the shared ambition of building a unified, resilient and outward-looking Peloponnese that creates lasting value for its people, businesses and future generations.
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