THE theme of this year’s tourism in Greece is diplomacy. For decades now, it cannot be denied that the Greeks and the Turks have nothing in common. Oftentimes, they quarrel for that tiny teeny weenie of an island called Cyprus. A lot of Greeks have already died there as late as the 1990s when they try to overrun the command post of the part of Cyprus controlled by the Turks. But in 2008, it seems that the government of Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis is getting to be more diplomatic.

Now the Greek tourism ministry in 2008 is embarking on a huge promotional campaign to market to tourists that a Greek guided travel package would automatically include one going to their key counterparts in Turkey. In fact, the Greek tourism ministry has enlisted the help of United States-based online travel agencies Travelocity and Expedia for this. But they are not stopping there.

Recognizing that an imminent recession will hit the United States before the November elections, the indefatigable Tourism Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos is traveling around Europe, Asia, Australasia, Middle East, Africa and Latin America to increase Greek cultural awareness and to entice peoples of other countries to visit his country. Of course, it is so easy for him to advertise Greece because everybody knows that Greece has a rich history. Think of Troy. Think of Alexander the Great. Think of the ancient Olympics. In fact, the current tourism logo of the country is Greece – The True Experience.

Some of the islands in Greece best known for tourists are the northeastern Aegean Islands and the Ionian Islands. In between these islands and in the coastlines of mainland Greece itself such Kefalonia, there are a lot of nudist resorts. In Athens alone, there are a total of five nudist resorts. Most of the investors of these nudist spas are British who have just retired from their lifetime job in the United Kingdom and would like to spend the remaining years on earth in a Greek paradise.

If your passion is into water sports, then you will never have a boring time here in Greece. There is water skiing in Attica, sailing in Athens, windsurfing and diving in more than a dozen places. There are also extensive leases here of yachts, cruises and marinas for your pleasure. You can certainly avail of humongous discounts if you travel with a group of about 50 people. It may be a corporate vacation perhaps or a cruise which doubles as your company’s annual planning workshop. What beautiful way to enjoy that than here in Greece.

SO what do you know about the Greeks? Historically, they are the oldest civilization. But based on our observation about modern Greeks, we can notice that they are a tight-knit bunch. If you really like to know more about the Greeks, just watch My Big Fat Greek Life or rent My Big Fat Greek Wedding. And then, there are also lots of Greek-American hot stars on television today. But if you want to know how the Greeks celebrate Valentines, then better read this post.

Actually, lovers all over Greece – whether male or female – give poppies to each other. Roses are not definitely the in thing here. For the Greeks, poppies represent the realization of one’s imagination and dream. If you have received a poppy from your admirer this Valentines, then it means that your dream of becoming united with him in love will come true right at the very day.

Poppies grow annually in winter and they flower only during Easter or spring so there are already a few which can be plucked on Valentines Day because we’re in the middle of Lent already. And if you are a cook, you may surprise your loved ones with a dish that has a poppy plant. They can be eaten boiled and they taste yummy too. That’s how the Greeks express gastronomical love.

Other Greek delicacies which are suitable for Valentines include Western delights such as chocolate pudding for those who do not have diabetes yet and stuffed peppers for those who already have. For the stuffed peppers, you may mix this stuff with white wine for maximum taste. Besides, white wine is good for the health whether you are high school exchange students enrolled in Athens or you are already past your prime and retiring in Greece. The aroma of the stuffed pepper dish is also smoothening to the nose and will ignite your passion for each other once you are seated side by side while tasting the viand. Stuffed peppers also have that Mediterranean feel as they are mixed with rice which is cultivated only in the region. Another popular dish in the region during Valentines is the butchering of an ostrich in lieu of the more popular turkey in the United States.

The celebration of Valentines though is relatively new as it really originated as an annual celebration in honor of a Roman Catholic saint, St. Valentine. Of course, there were no saints yet during the pre-New Testament times in the Bibles so the Day for Lovers is celebrated only recently. But in ancient Greece, it is already being celebrated at relatively the exact week (i.e. the earlier part of February) in honor of all lovers in the society at the time. In particular, they are dedicating this celebration in honor of the marriage between the god Zeus and his wife Hera. So what are you waiting for? Have a Happy Lovers’ Day here in Greece and enjoy the sights, sounds, food but most importantly, each other’s company.

EVEN as it’s still winter and spring break is still a little bit away, Greece is now embarking on a massive tourism campaign to lure in more foreign visitors to this country this year. The Greek government headed by Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis has instituted this for two reasons. First, more and more countries in the world have already established their own tourism campaigns each year via cable television. Among these countries are the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Qatar and Australia. Greece would like to follow suit. There are lots of tourist attractions here in Greece. Besides, this is where one of the oldest civilizations in the world is created.

Another reason for the tourism campaign is that the Greeks like to promote their country as the spending ground for tourists so as to boost the economy here. Although the financial status of the country is robust, they can certainly not take chances what with the spiraling downward of the United States economy happening. One of the steps the Greek government and even the private hospitality industry in the country have taken is to have a ten-day land tour in Greece. It’s like the Amazing Rice style although you don’t get a reward and you are not pressured. The pleasure you can have in return for ditching your euros here is that you can be spellbound by the great Greek sights as well as taste original Greek food which you have only spotted through television via My Big Fat Greek Life.

The ten-day tour is pegged just at $3,490 per person and for me, that’s reasonable enough especially if you are a Greek-American who has never been in the homeland of your grandparents. $3,490 is nothing especially that it is already a package deal – from reservations to the online travel agency Expedia to the Olympic Airlines roundtrip fare to the food and accommodations at the hotel as well as transportation to throughout the tour route. If you are a Greek-American, it is advisable to fly the Olympic Airlines instead of United so you can dump your dollar to the Greek economy and help maintain its stability. From Athens, you are immediately flown via a domestic Olympic Airlines flight to the northern city of Thessaloniki. This is the place whose inhabitants are the subject of Paul’s Letter to the Thessalonians. The place used to be called Thessalonia actually. It is indeed a historic place and one can breathe the fresh oxygen there. You will stay for two days there and then you begin your trip to Delphi, famous for its Oracle.

Then you go to the Peloponnese from Delphi. Certain forests in Peloponnese as you may well know have been ravaged by fire last summer. Well, the Greeks have already rehabilitated the place and the hospitality sector has made it a point to make the once-site-of-an-inferno a tourism magnet. All in all, this for makes Greece one of the more profound sites for visitors from the various continents in the globe.