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FrieslandCampina, Unilever) have been operat-
ing in Greece for decades; in many fields these
companies are market leaders. There may be
considerable market potential for SMEs as well.
Tourism
Not only Dutch tourists, but also other Europeans,
have come to know Greece mainly as a holiday
country, and foreign tourists are an important
source of income for Greeks. It is expected that
the number of international tourists will rise to 20
million –almost twice the number of the country’s
population– within the next few years, which puts
Greece among the top-15 holiday destinations
worldwide.
The Greek government wants to aim for well-to-
do tourists and offers incentives for building luxu-
rious accommodations/resorts, spas and amuse-
ment parks. This also offers ample opportunities
for investors. Moreover, Greece is a natural des-
tination for yachtsmen and yachtswomen, since it
has more than 6,000 islands. There is a consid-
erable need for new and improved marinas, and
foreign investors are welcome.
ICT Sector
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit,
Greece belongs to the world’s top 20 ICT talent
countries. Because of the high level of education
reached by the younger generation of Greeks,
Greece is an attractive country to outsource IT
products and services to. There are numerous
small ICT businesses, which are both particular-
ly creative and innovative, and internationally ori-
ented.
In order to get a proper overview of the present
market situation of the sectors mentioned above,
I would like to advise you to take part in one of
the numerous fairs that are organised. Fairs have
the advantage of offering excellent opportunities
to make contacts and present your company and
products. In Greece, face-to-face contact is of
the utmost importance when making new busi-
ness contacts, and a fair is the perfect occasion
to do so.
Finally, I would like to mention that Greece is the
ideal bridge to the upcoming markets in South-
Eastern Europe and the eastern part of the
Mediterranean; a market of 140 million con-
sumers, which could make Greece a stepping
stone for Dutch and European companies that
would want to expand in that direction.
I wish you every success in doing business in
Greece!
Trade with Greece
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