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About us

Imagining Greece: How Tourism Shaped a Nation
Imagining Greece is a digital exhibition that explores the evolution of tourism in Greece from the end of World War II to the closing chapters of the Cold War. The exhibition examines multiple aspects of the phenomenon by showcasing a wealth of textual and visual material curated from a wide range of state and private archival repositories and sources, including the Greek National Tourism Organisation, architectural firms, advertising agencies and both domestic and foreign press and periodicals. It is further enriched by an ongoing oral history project that captures firsthand experiences from specialists and the general public. We hope this exhibition will bring the history of tourism in Greece to life while deepening understanding of its profound impact—both on Greek society itself and on the millions of international visitors whose journeys have helped transform Greece into one of the world's most beloved destinations.

Our Team
We are an interdisciplinary team with expertise spanning history, visual culture, design studies, architectural history, cultural heritage, and digital humanities. Led by Professor Eirini Karamouzi (Principal Investigator) and Dr Mary Ikoniadou (Co-Investigator), our team includes:

Dr Stavros Alifragkis and Dr Emilia Athanasiou (Scientific and Artistic Curators, Lead Researchers), Dr Christos Christidis (Special Advisor), Despina Tsilimagkou (Digital Humanities Director), Dr Marina Emmanouil, Dr Metaxia Papageorgiou and Dr Aphrodite Kamara (Researchers). Our work has been generously supported by the Onassis Foundation, the National Bank of Greece and Research England. We are honoured to have the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and the Greek Ministry of Tourism as our patrons, and we work closely with Greece’s National Historical Museum.

Our Goal
Our goal is to make Imagining Greece a widely accessible digital exhibition that serves as a valuable resource for schools, universities, tourism professionals, and the public in Greece and beyond. We aim to promote a deeper understanding of tourism as a crucial element of Greek culture, economy, politics, and society. The exhibition is organised around four thematic experiences: Picture, Travel, Discover, and Remember. Each theme presents carefully chosen artefacts in an intuitive, easy-to-explore journey. Visitors will explore a rich collection of promotional materials, including advertising, audio-visual culture, periodicals, commercial and government sources, tourist guides, tourism infrastructure and architecture, cultural artefacts from folklore, feasts and festivals, leisure activities, books about Greece, souvenirs, vacation photographs, and postcards. The entire spectrum of Greece as a tourism destination is accessible through the thematic experiences, the interactive map, or the chronological timeline.

The Future of Imagining Greece
Imagining Greece will continue to grow with new artefacts, and we welcome your contributions. If you have relevant materials to share, please contact us at: info@imagininggreece.com

Legal Notice / Disclaimer
Every reasonable effort has been made to trace and contact the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this digital exhibition, ‘Imagining Greece: How Tourism Shaped a Nation, 1945-1989’, and to obtain their permission for the use of copyrighted material. We apologise for any omissions in acknowledging copyright. If you own the copyright for any material used on our website and believe it infringes upon your rights, please contact us directly at info@imagininggreece.com

Acknowledgements
We thank the numerous institutions and private individuals who have contributed their valuable archival materials to this project:

Benaki Museum’s Photographic Archives Department, Michael Cacoyannis Foundation, Greek Film Archive, Greek National Tourism Organisation, Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive, Hellenic National AudioVisual Archive - Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, Hellenic Touring Club, Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece – National Historical Museum, Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece, Constantinos A. Doxiadis Archives, ‘Konstantinos G. Karamanlis’ Foundation, The Library of the Hellenic Parliament, Modern Greek Architecture Archives of the Benaki Museum, National Bank of Greece Cultural Foundation, Neraida Floating Museum - John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation, Olympic Airways Workers Cultural Center, Philatelic Postal Museum, Spyros Vassiliou Archive - Dominum Artifex NPO, The Alpha Bank Art Collection, The Ghika Gallery - Benaki Museum.

Dimitris Antonakakis – Atelier 66, Archimidis & Eleni Athanassiou, Tasos Biris – Tassos Biris Architectural Firm, Vassilis Bogakos, Vassilis Giannakis, Panos Haratzopoulos, Erifyli Hontolidou, Maro Kardamitsi-Adami, Yannis Karlopoulos, Kostas Katsigiannis, Konstantinos Lyssaridis – ETETH SA, Eirini Philippides, Marina Philippides – AMK Architecture + Design, Jenny Perivolari, Christos Rallis & Georgia Sovatzoglou, Vassia Stylianidi – WOBI Architects, Vaggelis Stylianidis - Stylianidis Vaggelis Architects, Nicos Valsamakis – N. Valsamakis Architectural Firm, Ioannis Vikelas – Vikelas Architects.

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Remember

Discover / Accommodation

Hotels & Motels Guesthouses & Mansions Car Camps & Holiday Camps Vacation Houses & Holiday Complexes

Displaying 83/83 artefacts

Arta Xenia Hotel artifact
Arta Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Ioannina Xenia Hotel artifact
Ioannina Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Karpenissi Xenia Hotel artifact
Karpenissi Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Missolonghi Xenia Motel artifact
Missolonghi Xenia Motel
Photograph
Xanthi Xenia Hotel artifact
Xanthi Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Postcard
Edessa Xenia Hotel artifact
Edessa Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Paliouri Xenia Motel artifact
Paliouri Xenia Motel
Photograph
Makriammos Beach Xenia Motel, Thassos artifact
Makriammos Beach Xenia Motel, Thassos
Postcard
Paros Xenia Hotel artifact
Paros Xenia Hotel
Postcard
Riviera Camping Asprovalta artifact
Riviera Camping Asprovalta
Postcard
Camping Sites in Northern Greece artifact
Camping Sites in Northern Greece
Brochure
Ouranoupolis Xenia Motel artifact
Ouranoupolis Xenia Motel
Photograph
Omonia Hotel artifact
Omonia Hotel
Photograph
Minos Beach Hotel artifact
Minos Beach Hotel
Photograph
The Village Hotel: Gkoura, Corinthia artifact
The Village Hotel: Gkoura, Corinthia
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Skopelos Island artifact
The Village Hotel: Skopelos Island
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Elatou & Terpsithea, Aetolia-Acarnania artifact
The Village Hotel: Elatou & Terpsithea, Aetol...
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Villia, Attica artifact
The Village Hotel: Villia, Attica
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Karya, Ellassona artifact
The Village Hotel: Karya, Ellassona
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Mt. Pelion artifact
The Village Hotel: Mt. Pelion
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Alonisos Island artifact
The Village Hotel: Alonisos Island
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Aegina Island artifact
The Village Hotel: Aegina Island
Leaflet
The Village Hotel: Kalentzi, Achaea artifact
The Village Hotel: Kalentzi, Achaea
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Polydendro, Imathia artifact
The Village Hotel: Polydendro, Imathia
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Alepochori, Phocis artifact
The Village Hotel: Alepochori, Phocis
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Kastania - Georgianoi - Rodochori, Imathia artifact
The Village Hotel: Kastania - Georgianoi - Ro...
Brochure
The Village Hotel: Mikro Chorio, Evrytania artifact
The Village Hotel: Mikro Chorio, Evrytania
Brochure
Heraklion Xenia Hotel artifact
Heraklion Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Mediterranean Palace Hotel artifact
Mediterranean Palace Hotel
Photograph
Camping Sites in Greece artifact
Camping Sites in Greece
Brochure
Florina Xenia Hotel artifact
Florina Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Andritsaina Xenia Hotel artifact
Andritsaina Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Xenia hotel in Portaria artifact
Xenia hotel in Portaria
Photograph
Postcard
Hotel du Lac Xenia in Kastoria artifact
Hotel du Lac Xenia in Kastoria
Photograph
Akronafplia Xenia Hotel in 1961 artifact
Akronafplia Xenia Hotel in 1961
Photograph
Postcard
Chios Xenia Hotel artifact
Chios Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Samos Xenia Hotel artifact
Samos Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Kos Xenia Hotel artifact
Kos Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Vytina Xenia Motel artifact
Vytina Xenia Motel
Photograph
Volos Xenia Hotel artifact
Volos Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Serres Xenia Hotel artifact
Serres Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Kalamata Xenia Motel artifact
Kalamata Xenia Motel
Photograph
Guesthouses near the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus artifact
Guesthouses near the Ancient Theatre of Epida...
Photograph
The Athens Hilton artifact
The Athens Hilton
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Amalia Hotel Athens artifact
Amalia Hotel Athens
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Amalia Hotel Delphi artifact
Amalia Hotel Delphi
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Grand Hotel Astir Palace, Rhodes artifact
Grand Hotel Astir Palace, Rhodes
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
White Rocks Hotel, Cephalonia artifact
White Rocks Hotel, Cephalonia
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Apollon Palace, Kavouri artifact
Apollon Palace, Kavouri
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Hotel Apollo, Aegina artifact
Hotel Apollo, Aegina
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Amalia Hotel Olympia artifact
Amalia Hotel Olympia
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Amalia Hotel Nafplio artifact
Amalia Hotel Nafplio
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Robinson Daidalos, Kos artifact
Robinson Daidalos, Kos
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Yiannis Moralis Artwork at Amalia Hotel Delphi artifact
Yiannis Moralis Artwork at Amalia Hotel Delph...
Artwork
Amalia Hotel Meteora artifact
Amalia Hotel Meteora
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Olympus Car Camp, Skotina Beach artifact
Olympus Car Camp, Skotina Beach
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Hotel Galaxy, Kavala artifact
Hotel Galaxy, Kavala
Postcard
Patmos Xenia Hotel artifact
Patmos Xenia Hotel
Postcard
Xenia Network in 1991 artifact
Xenia Network in 1991
Pamphlet
Xenia Network in Central Greece 1971 artifact
Xenia Network in Central Greece 1971
Brochure
Xenia Hotels Griechenland 1966 artifact
Xenia Hotels Griechenland 1966
Brochure
Xenia Network in Halkidiki 1970 artifact
Xenia Network in Halkidiki 1970
Brochure
Poseidon Resort Hotel Loutraki artifact
Poseidon Resort Hotel Loutraki
Postcard
Minos Beach Hotel Bungalows at Agios Nikolaos artifact
Minos Beach Hotel Bungalows at Agios Nikolaos
Postcard
Akronafplia Xenia Hotel in the 1980s artifact
Akronafplia Xenia Hotel in the 1980s
Photograph
Xenia Hotel in Drama artifact
Xenia Hotel in Drama
Photograph
Akronafplia Xenia Brochure of 1965 artifact
Akronafplia Xenia Brochure of 1965
Brochure
Igoumenitsa Xenia Motel artifact
Igoumenitsa Xenia Motel
Photograph
Komotini Xenia Hotel artifact
Komotini Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Mykonos Xenia Hotel artifact
Mykonos Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Skyros Xenia Hotel artifact
Skyros Xenia Hotel
Photograph
Thassos Xenia Hotel "Alkyon" at Limenas artifact
Thassos Xenia Hotel "Alkyon" at Limenas
Photograph
Album
Guesthouse of GNTO in Samothrace artifact
Guesthouse of GNTO in Samothrace
Photograph
Grande Albergo delle Rose artifact
Grande Albergo delle Rose
Photograph
Moralis' artwork on the Athens Hilton's facades artifact
Moralis' artwork on the Athens Hilton's facad...
Photograph
PM Karamanlis visits the Athens Hilton construction site artifact
PM Karamanlis visits the Athens Hilton constr...
Photograph
Foundation stone-laying ceremony or the Athens Hilton artifact
Foundation stone-laying ceremony or the Athen...
Photograph
Inauguration of the Athens Hilton 1963 artifact
Inauguration of the Athens Hilton 1963
Photograph
Hotel Miramare in Ixia, Rhodes 1958-60 artifact
Hotel Miramare in Ixia, Rhodes 1958-60
Photograph
Postcard
Apollonion Vacation Village in Porto Rafti 1970-1981 artifact
Apollonion Vacation Village in Porto Rafti 19...
Photograph
Alexandroupolis Astir Motel artifact
Alexandroupolis Astir Motel
Photograph
Exarchakos Family Tower in Vathia, Mani artifact
Exarchakos Family Tower in Vathia, Mani
Photograph
Architectural Drawing
Hotel Leto, Mykonos 1951 artifact
Hotel Leto, Mykonos 1951
Photograph