French business owners are showing great interest in investing in Greece, Tourism Minister Charis Theocharis told Athens 98.4 radio from Paris on Tuesday.
Theocharis spoke ahead of Wednesday’s forum “Greece, a strategic partner in SE Europe: Confidence returns”, to be held in Paris by the Greek-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
“We find a positive response and great investment interest from a number of businesses that see our country as a great opportunity,” said Theocharis and elaborated that “the interest of companies in the energy sector is high – the sector of the usual energy resources, in other words – and particularly in the transportation of natural gas, the (hydrocarbon) research off southern Crete and, of course, renewable energy sources.”
On tourism he said there was a sharp rise in French tourists coming to Greece. “Latest data show a rise of nearly 7-8 pct in arrivals and 14-15 pct in revenues. The French favor Greece, but not mass tourism. They have read up on culture and local tourism,” he noted.