Spain and Greece strengthen tourism cooperation by signing a Memorandum of Understanding

The Minister for Industry and Tourism, Jordi Hereu, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with his Greek counterpart, Olga Kefalogianni, to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the field of tourism between the two countries.

The agreement, signed at the headquarters of the Ministry of Industry and Tourism, will serve to improve both bilateral and international tourist flows, support the development of sustainable, competitive, accessible, resilient and innovative tourism, and to foster the exchange of tourism policies between two of the leading players in the sector within the EU.

For Jordi Hereu, the signing of this agreement with Greece highlights the need to address common challenges in the tourism sector by deepening diplomatic ties and international cooperation. Tourism governance is key, in the minister's words, to harmonising tourism policies, addressing issues with wide-ranging social implications such as the occasional overcrowding of certain destinations, the implementation of the three pillars of sustainability (economic, social and environmental), and the fair redistribution of the profits generated by the tourism industry.

Seven areas of cooperation

The Memorandum, which is valid for a period of five years and will be automatically renewed for consecutive five-year periods, will promote tourism cooperation across seven areas: international cooperation; the exchange of information and knowledge; tourism investment; tourism promotion; innovation and digitalisation; education and vocational training in the tourism sector; and cooperation within international organisations such as UN Tourism.

Greece is an important tourist market for Spain among EU member states. In 2025, the number of international tourists from Greece rose by 33%. This is a market with significant potential for growth, thanks in part to strong air links - which continues to strengthen year after year with new seasonal routes - and to close Mediterranean cultural ties, that foster a growing exchange of visitors between the two countries.

Bilateral meeting

Prior to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, Minister Hereu and his Greek counterpart held a working meeting, which was also attended by the Secretary of State, Rosario Sánchez Grau. The meeting addressed various matters within their portfolios, such as current trends and future outlooks for tourism flows between the two markets, the impact and opportunities of artificial intelligence in tourism, and the need to strengthen tourism's role in European policy through the upcoming European Sustainable Tourism Strategy.

Investments in the restoration of Madrid's tourist heritage

As part of the Greek delegation's official visit, the Secretary of State for Tourism, Rosario Sánchez Grau, is accompanying the Greek minister on a tour of various projects in Madrid aimed at restoring and showcasing the city's historical heritage, funded by €5.6 million in European funds.

Firstly, they will tour part of the Royal Palace in Madrid, where the Ministry of Industry and Tourism has invested €5.2 million in works that have made it possible to expand and improve the Visitors' Centre, make it more accessible, and restore the old pharmacy so that it can be included in the public tour. Sánchez Grau and Kefalogianni will then visit the restored Villanueva Tunnel in the Campo del Moro gardens. This project involved a €400,000 investment to restore the space, install new walkways, upgrade lighting and prepare the area for exhibitions.

These initiatives form part of a €202 million investment by the Ministry of Industry and Tourism to transform the tourism model of the Community of Madrid. The funds are aimed at boosting the sustainability of destinations, the digitalisation of the sector, energy efficiency, the diversification of the tourism offering, and the restoration and enhancement of historical heritage.

Non official translation