The E-Tourism Seminars Roadshow was successfully completed in Athens

The E-Tourism Seminars Roadshow was successfully completed in Athens

The first seminar of the E-Tourism Seminars Roadshow was successfully completed in Athens, on 27 & 28 September 2011. at the Technopolis City of Athens (room "KostisPalamas", 100 Pireosstr, Gazi), brought by Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company (ATEDCo) and Athens Convention Bureau (ACB).

This practical and informative seminar was presented by E-Tourism Frontiers CEO, Mr. Damian Cook featuring special sessions by representatives of Expedia & TripAdvisor. Representatives of local and regional tourism organizations, the Greek and regional tourism industry as well as tourism professionals had the opportunity to learn more about:

• How the Travel business has shifted online and why it is vital that destinations and businesses change the way they work

• How to develop an e-marketing and management strategy

• What are the key resources to have in place and how to set them up

• How to upgrade their website and manage it more effectively

• Online Advertising and Search Engine Optimization

• How to start taking online bookings and payments and to combine this with offline business in a safe and secure way

• The Social Media Toolbox- how to use Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and YouTube in their business

• How to encourage and help their customers to market via social media and capitalize on User Generated Content

• How to produce, store, manage and publish photos, video and other media for their business

• The importance of mobile phones and devices for tourism businesses and how they can use them to make their business more accessible online

Mr. Alexis Galinos, CEO of ATEDCo said that he recognizes the need for a much stronger online presence by all local stakeholders to strengthen the sustainability of the local trade. He said "As digital media are becoming more predominant, it is essential for every tourism and travel business not only to follow the trends and developments but know how to use them in order to manage and promote their business more effectively. True to its purpose and vision, ATEDCo was happy to bring these training seminars to its local tourism industry with the hope that they will serve as a valuable tool to increase the industry's success."

Manolis Psarros from AbouTourism added "We are glad to launch our partnership with E-Tourism Frontiers for a series of online tourism seminars around Greece and the wider SE Europe, starting with the Athens event this September. The seminars provide a much needed customized, practical guidance to the local tourism and travel sector and are in accordance with AbouTourism's commitment to provide quality services for the Greek destinations & travel trade sector".

E-Tourism Frontiers works around the world to develop and build the online tourism sector. Their CEO Mr. Damian Cook said "We are very happy to be bringing these seminars to Greece and look forward to helping to create a tourist industry that has much greater fitness for the future. Online gives all tourism stakeholders access to a much larger global marketplace that is accessible and free from restrictions".