Through this process we protected our region with actions which we strongly believe also amount a strong investment for the future. And this year, we will continue to act in the same way, being ready to protect our region and its people, but also the visitors we look forward to greeting. We are sure that the tourism prospects of Western Greece are auspicious, not only because it is a place worth visiting, but also because it is a safe place for all.

TNH: What can you tell us about the changes will we see after COVID in tourism in Western Greece?

NF: As I have already mentioned, one of the strong demands of tourism in the coming season will be safety and health protection. Western Greece is already one of the most well-protected areas of Greece, let me say of Europe. I also believe that tourism in the post-COVID era will not be just ‘sun and sea’ tourism. The industry will need to provide the visitor with a more comprehensive encounter with Greece. Leisure and touring will be part of the experience, but we will also present ‘flavor experiences’, and ‘safety experiences’ – of course the overall experience will be one of quality, providing our visitors with a ‘value for money’ package. Western Greece is a region that can offer all this and more. Amazing beaches, a rare beauty, and remarkable landscapes and protected natural environs. We offer tours of world class archeological sites such as Ancient Olympia with itineraries that combine mountains and sea, and local gastronomic pleasures based on the Mediterranean diet. Transportation and access from Athens have been upgraded and the region has local airports and connections by ship with Italy. And all this at reasonable prices that prove that we value and honor our visitors.

TNH: here have been major developments in transport infrastructure in Greece – airports, roads, railways – and much more has been planned. How will this affect economic development and tourism in Western Greece?

NF: Transport infrastructure plays a dominant role in the economic development and the tourism potential of any region. Western Greece, at a steady pace, is breaking out of the peculiar isolation in which it found itself in recent years. Now, the new highway connects the area with Athens in just two hours. The beautiful Rio-Antirrio bridge ensures very fast access from the northern Peloponnese to the Mainland and Central Greece, while the new high-speed suburban railway from Athens now reaches Aigio, that is, ‘a breath’ away from the large metropolitan center of Patras – and in a few years that city will also be connected. In addition, the airport of Aktio in northwestern Aitoloakarnania already handles hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Ionian islands and coasts in the west of the country. The port of Patras remains Greece’s gateway to Western Europe, with regular ferry service between Patras and Italy. The transportation network will become even stronger when the new highway between Patras and Pyrgos is completed and of course, when the new railway reaches the port of Patras. The creation of new and modern infrastructure is another strong advantage for the economic development of our region.

5) What are the recent archaeological developments in your area? Very recently we have integrated and financed another important development in Ancient Olympia, which concerns the promotion and restoration of an important part of the ancient gymnasium. That is the place where the ancient Olympic athletes were competing and preparing for other competitions. This is a project that will contribute to the attractiveness and the understanding of the archaeological site. In addition, we have moved quickly to finance the promotion of the ancient theaters of Aitoloakarnania, which has the most ancient theaters in Greece, a total of six. We have also funded work on the castle of Patras and the castle of Chlemoutsi in Ilia, while our ambition is, in collaboration with Greek and internationally renowned organizations, to spotlight the mythological connections of the Erymanthos mountain and river, an area connected with the famous Labors of Hercules.

TNH: What are the important things you would like Greek-Americans to know about developments in your area? Is there any message you would like to send to the Greek community?

NF: What we want above all if for our expatriates and especially those who come from our parts, namely Achaia, Ilia, and Aitoloakarnania, to be proud of their place of origin. Proud not only of the ‘yesterday’, but also of the ‘today’ and ‘tomorrow’ of this place. Proud not only because this region is a Greek land with more than 3,000 years of history, but because it is a region that with dynamism and extroversion is coming back to the European and World stage. We cooperate with all the other Greek regions and especially our neighboring ones, because we know that development is not an ‘individual sport’, but a ‘team sport’. One example is our agreement with the Attica Region and the Peloponnese Region for the creation of a long cycling route from Marathon to Ancient Olympia, and there is also the agreement of all the Regions of western Greece about the need to complete a major western road axis which will connect the Western Balkans with Western Greece. We are already working closely with many other European regions and with the embassies of many countries in Greece, having developed strong and lasting relationship with the U.S. Embassy in Athens. As the conditions of the pandemic allow in the near future, we have already planned a series of contacts with many actors in the European Union and in the United States. We have formed a comprehensive plan for the economic and touristic development of the region, developing an extroverted character in the international context. So let our expatriates in the United States be proud of us and have confidence in us, as we are proud and are confident of them.

And of course, we are waiting for them all to visit us at the first opportunity. Greeks, wherever we are, we must be united – not even the coronavirus can deprive us of what connects us!