Hello and welcome to today's independent travel podcast with me Simon Colber. My guest today is

Eleni Scarvelli. She is the director of the Greek National Tourist Office in London and therefore

one of the key people in the travel industry. And I'm really looking forward to talking about how

2025 has been for the summer and what's going to be

happening in 2026. So you're very welcome, Eleni. Well, 2025 it was a great year for Greece.

Part of our strategy, of course, it was to prolong the season. And I think people find much better

deals in September, October, if they have, of course, the possibility

to go away, but also the half break. And the weather, it's so nice in Greece at that time.

You know, even in November, a lot of people visit Athens when there's still the connection is out

there or a little bit the islands. A lot of tour operators, they extended the season,

so the flights are until

half November. So, yes, it's a great opportunity. Last year, I was on the 29th of November

in Athens with sword sleeve and 25 degrees out there. So the weather is changing, Simon,

and we don't know what's going to happen. You know, the climate change and everything, of course, it's nothing, it's stable.

But we are definitely enjoying some nice weather.

Talk us through the winter offering in Greece.

Is it basically Athens and Thessaloniki?

Well, actually, we're very happy because Thessaloniki now could be all year round.

So this is really amazing, like a new city break opportunity for people that they've

already been to Athens. Athens is booming. I mean, it's changing a lot. There is so much new

hotels, infrastructure. People love it. And because of the weather, as we said, they keep going

back and back. So we would like to offer something new and we feel that Thessaloniki could

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