Greece and Spain have signed their first Tourism Cooperation Memorandum, establishing a framework for closer strategic cooperation on sustainability, innovation and digital transformation in tourism.
Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni and Spain’s Minister of Industry and Tourism Jordi Hereu signed the memorandum in Madrid, laying the foundations for broader and more structured cooperation between the two countries.
The agreement establishes a comprehensive framework covering the exchange of information and expertise, tourism promotion, investment, digitalisation and innovation, as well as tourism education and professional training.
It also calls for closer coordination between Greece and Spain within the UN World Tourism Organization and other international organisations. The two countries will seek common approaches to the future of sustainable tourism in the Mediterranean and the sector’s green and digital transition as the EU develops its new tourism strategy.
As EU partners, Greece and Spain will also cooperate on key priorities expected to shape the future of tourism, including sustainable destination management, the use and analysis of tourism data, digital transformation, innovation and workforce skills development.
Joint committee to oversee cooperation
The memorandum provides for the creation of a Greece-Spain Joint Committee to serve as a key mechanism for regular dialogue between the two sides. The committee will monitor progress on agreed initiatives and identify new opportunities for cooperation.
The agreement builds on already strong tourism ties between Greece and Spain. In 2025, arrivals from Spain to Greece increased by 23.8% to 566,600 visitors, while travel receipts reached €296.3 million.
The memorandum marks a further step in strengthening tourism relations between the two countries and creates a stable framework for sharing expertise, developing joint initiatives and promoting a more sustainable, resilient, green and digitally transformed tourism model in the Mediterranean.
Kefalogianni said Greece and Spain share a common history, culture and values, and described tourism as a bridge between their peoples, cultures and societies.
She said the two countries had much to learn from each other and much to offer Europe and global tourism together. She added that the memorandum marked the beginning of a more structured partnership focused on concrete results and stronger cooperation between ministries, destinations and tourism businesses.
