of the visitor’s tourism experience. In the public sector the Greek Ministry of Tourism set up in early 2021 a dedicated Working Group on Gastronomy Tourism with a view to promoting Greece as a gastronomic destination. The task of the Working Group was to integrate gastronomy into the national planning of the promotion of the Greek tourism product. The Group completed its work in February 2022 and a call for tender is currently underway to establish a network linking gastronomy and agrotourism. The project “SUB4: Agrotourism and Gastronomy–Action 16931” is part of the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF), which is funded by Next Generation EU (NGEU), European Union’s landmark instrument for recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective is to carry out market research, propose a strategy for the establishment of a network and a digital platform for the promotion of Greek gastronomy, where Greek businesses will participate, and create a thematic Destination Management Organization (DMO) aiming at showcasing and promoting gastronomy tourism and agrotourism experiences. The project also includes the education and training of the staff of hotels and catering establishments specialised in Greek gastronomy. The Greek National Tourism Organization (ΕΟΤ)4 participates in actions and events of gastronomic interest, aiming at promoting the Greek cuisine internationally and Greece as a tourist destination that that offers its visitors numerous choices. Besides, the promotion of thematic travel products as unique experiences has been an important objective of the Greek National Tourism Organization over the years, seeking to strengthen the Greek tourism brand at an international level. Finally, what is particularly interesting is that Thessaloniki, the second biggest Greek city, has managed to be included in the UNESCO Creative Cities of Gastronomy. Cities with a tradition in gastronomy that seek to promote cultural diversity and sustainable urban development are members of this network. The significance of this network lies in that it facilitates member cities to share experiences, expertise, and resources on gastronomic tradition issues (UNESCO-CCN, 2021). 5.1. The Greek Cuisine Quality Label In order to showcase and establish the quality of Greek cuisine at a national and international level, the Ministry of Tourism of Greece, by virtue of Law 4 GNTO is a legal entity of public law supervised by the Ministry of Tourism, which draws up and implements strategic communication programmes and actions in accordance with the marketing plans elaborated by the Ministry of Tourism. 498 DIMITRIOS MYLONOPOULOS | POLYXENI MOIRA
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