In a Press Conference, held on Wednesday 15th February 2023, which took place at the Barley Cargo beer bar, the Hellenic Association of Brewers and the Ministry of Tourism, announced the introduction of Breweries Open to the Public. The proposal of the Hellenic Association of Brewers aimed at connecting the Greek beer production with hospitality, through an organized institutional framework. The inclusion of beer tourism in the national actions to promote the tourist product, will increase the number of visitors and the extroversion of the breweries, while at the same time, it will promote the beer culture in our country.
The President of the Hellenic Association of Brewers, Mr. Sofoklis Panagiotou, stated the following: “Taking into consideration the experience of the long-term operation of Wineries open to the public and launching with great success the initiative of the Hellenic Association of Βrewers, “Open Breweries” since 2018, we took the initiative to ask the Ministry of Tourism for the introduction of Breweries open to the public. The increasing public interest for the beer products and the rapid development of microbrewing in the last decade led us to submit the specific proposal. The response of the Ministry of Tourism, in collaboration with the Ministries of Finance and Development, to the sector’s specific request and the substantial consultation that followed, are an example for the adoption of reforms that contribute to the fair and sustainable development of the Greek businesses. We hope and wish, that also other very serious and long-standing demands of our industry will be dealt with accordingly. Beer tourism, as part of a wider gastronomic experience of the visitor, will enhance businesses that operate in the region and in tourist areas, strengthening the development of the industry.”
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ms. Sophia Zacharaki, stated: “After a lot of work during the last few months and the substantial support from the professionals of the industry, the Ministry of Tourism designed and is in the position to present the first Breweries open to the public. This is yet another important initiative, integrated in the set of innovative policies that we implement. We seek the responsible development of the Greek tourist product, in terms of sustainability and its further differentiation through the promotion of special forms of tourism and the creation of new complex tourist packages emphasizing on the quality and the intensity of the offered experience. The Breweries open to the public connect the world of domestic beer, as a whole, from the primary materials, their processing in the brewing facilities, and the production of Greek beer, with the world of hospitality. In this way we strengthen the Greek businesses, encouraging them to look for new ways of development.”
It is worth mentioning that the breweries are already receiving a large number of requests, both from individuals and from organized agencies and companies in the tourism sector, for brewery visits, as well as, for beer tastings. Breweries open to the public will give a boost to a number of breweries, across the country, to become visitors’ attractions highlighting their facilities and their products.
