10 Apr Interview with Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Governor of Central Macedonia, Greece
Central Macedonia is the second most populated region in Greece and the most popular destination that is not an island. The region is currently undergoing a revamp of its major infrastructure, including a revamp of Thessaloniki’s port, water and sanitation assets and 42 million put towards updating the local road network. Can you give our readers an overview of the Central Macedonia region’s current economic makeup? What are its current most important industries, and to what extend are you trying to diversify the economic base?
Central Macedonia is the largest region in Greece with seven regional units. The capital is Thessaloniki which is the second largest city in Greece. The region counts 2 million inhabitants and covers a vast area of 18,000 km². We have 150,000 students and researchers spread across our three universities, the colleges and the research centers based in our Region, and 25% of the population of the region holds a doctoral or postgraduate degree.
Our administration has done a lot of work in recent years to upgrade the region’s infrastructure. We are utilizingabout €700 million euros from European and national funds for road infrastructure improvement alone. This is very important because our highways not only connect cities within Greece, but also connect Greece with Southeast Europe and the Balkans, which is a competitive advantage of our region.
This is also reflected in our exports, which have increased over the last year by 18%, reaching a volume of €6.2 million euros. We are the leading exporter of food and agricultural products in Greece. 25% of the GDP of the Greek agricultural sector is produced in Central Macedonia. 70% of Greek product transport activity takes place here. Besides our roads-network projects, crucial infrastructure units have been also upgraded, including the Macedonia Airport and the Port of Thessaloniki. Many other large projects are also preparing for launch.
Only in the past year, we had a 9% increase in our GDP. We created 70,000 new jobs in the last five years, most of them high-paid quality jobs in the innovation sector, one of the strongest pillars of our economy alongside tourism and the agri-food sector. Central Macedonia has been attracting major investments by companies in the innovation sector, including global giants such as Pfizer, Cisco, Deloitte and others.
According to the official rankings, Central Macedonia is among the top European regions for utilizing European funds and implementing projects. We also rank among the top-10 fastest growing regions in Europe, in terms of innovation. We have a significant increase in private investments in the supply chain, while private investments in tourism infrastructure have risen by 100% over the last year. Our tourism revenues increased by 20%, and according to the pre-booking data, during the summer of 2024 we are going to have a new record high in the increase of incoming tourism.
What factors explain this sudden surge in tourism?
Greece is a safe country, it is a member of the European Union, it is politically stable, and of course it is a beautiful country, with many amazing and diverse destinations and sites that can support a 365 day-long tourism season. Central Macedonia is the land where inseparable legends and history march together, the sun and the sea, the highest peaks of Greece like Mount Olympus, luxury modern accommodation complexes, ski centers and the most beautiful shores of the Mediterranean.
Central Macedonia is the place where Alexander the Great was born, raised and taught by Aristotle, one of history´s greatest philosophers, who was also born and lived here. Our region acquires unique comparative advantages that allow us to support both mainstream and alternative forms of tourism, such as archaeological, cultural and historical tourism, rural and congress tourism, medical and spa tourism, and many other focused forms.
The Region of Central Macedonia is where the ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Jewish heritages meet. We have spectacular ancient monuments, but we are also building new monuments to honor our heritage, such as the new Holocaust Museum. Simultaneously, we are working on a major new project; the upgrading of Thessaloniki’s waterfront, an area 40 km long, the biggest waterfront in Europe.
How do you work on attracting visitors here?
We present our Region in more than 70 exhibitions and conferences all around the world and of course we have a strong presence on social media. This is how we showcase to people from the US, Asia, all over Europe and of course all over Greece, that we can provide our visitors with a consistent and integrated experience, according to their individual preferences.
Central Macedonia possesses one of Greece’s, and Europe´s, longest coastlines, with unique beaches, magnificent waters, modern infrastructure and luxury accommodation complexes that promote privacy. The mild climate and the “Sea and sun” have been the timeless emblems of Central Macedonia, which is now enriched with many other elements and explicit services in other forms of tourism. For example, tourists can explore modern Macedonia with Thessaloniki and other major cities being exceptional selections as “city break” destinations. We offer our guests the combination of accommodation in excellent hotels, shopping experiences in the commercial shops and malls, and the flavors of our famous cuisine.
Central Macedonia is currently undergoing an innovation transformation, with new sectors being created and supported by new innovation parks and support agencies. Entrepreneurship remains a high priority under the government’s new agenda. How does Central Macedonia stand out as a center for innovation compared to other local regions and neighboring markets?
Our region is one of the four regions worldwide that has signed an official cooperation agreement with Europe’s biggest research organization, the Cern in Geneva. We work very closely with them, with regular study visits from our students and researchers, while our local businesses are official equipment providers for Cern.
At the same time, we have financed the upgrade of the digital capacity and equipment of our schools, universities, research centers and chambers. We have also financed innovation projects and investments in Central Macedoniawith more than 1 billion euros from our European funds.
Recent storms, fires and floods have caused major problems to regions in Greece, including Central Macedonia. The government is currently establishing a permanent environmental observatory to mitigate weather-related challenges. What is the region today to enhance its sustainable practices and combat climate change?
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing the world. Central Macedonia is already implementing actions and projects, both for saving energy and the transition to environmentally friendly and more economical forms of energy, along with projects to protect our cities, our villages and of course people’s lives. We have finalized the construction of flood control projects that protect 29 areas in our region, and we are ready to begin constructing 30 new projects. We are financing SMEs’ investments that reduce their energy consumption.
We are installing photovoltaic systems and investing in renewable energy source, and we are financing the renovation of public buildings, hospitals, schools and low–income family houses, making them energy efficient. We are replacing old lamps with new low consumption led bulbs across our road network. According to the OECD, the Region of Central Macedonia is the fastest region in Greece in adopting and implementing environmental policies in view of the 2030 targets.
The US is a major partner of Greece, and this is quite visible in Central Macedonia, where companies like Pfizer, Cisco or Deloitte have made big investments. How important is the US for the region, as investors, as innovation partners, as a source market for tourism, and what is the regional government doing to enhance its ties and cooperation with the US?
The US is our closest partner. And my personal goal is to invest further in this relationship since we share common ideas, common values, and common interests. Our close collaboration with the US is very fruitful for our economy and is very beneficial for both sides. The relationship between Greece, and specifically of Central Macedonia, with the US has been outstanding. We have been working together on several projects, including investments in innovation, culture, tourism, education and many other projects. One of the most productive shared projects is the film industry. Six major Hollywood movies have already been filmed in Central Macedonia and we have established a Film-Office that supports the film industry, the first in Greece.
You have been the governor of Central Macedonia for over a decade and have successfully led the region through the pandemic and the country’s following economic resurgence. In October you made a decisive victory with 60% of the votes in the first round of the local elections. What are your current top priorities as the governor of Central Macedonia in 2024? What is your long-term vision for the region?
Our vision is to build the Central Macedonia of 2030, a modern, smart, green and human-centered region. And this is my message to your readers all over the world: Greece and Central Macedonia are open for business. We are creative, we are dynamic, and we are extroverts. Investing in Central Macedonia means investing in a future of great potential, great capacity, capabilities and business opportunities, in the fields of innovation, education, tourism, energy, logistics and many other fields. Central Macedonia is on course to become the Capital of Extroversion of Greece. This is the moment to invest, and this is the place to invest.