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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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1934

Temple of Athena Nike artifact — Temple of Athena Nike

1935

1937

1947

Heniochos of Delphi artifact — Heniochos of Delphi

1949

1951

1952

1953

Final stamp proofs of the series Ancient Greek Art artifact — Final stamp proofs of the series Ancient Greek Art

Panagia Platsani Church in the Isle of Santorini artifact — Panagia Platsani Church in the Isle of Santorini

Greek pavilion in Paris Fair 1953 artifact — Greek pavilion in Paris Fair 1953

1954

Greece by Spyros Vassiliou artifact — Greece by Spyros Vassiliou

1955

1955 Aegean Cruises artifact — 1955 Aegean Cruises

Athens Festival 1955 artifact — Athens Festival 1955

1955 Aegean Cruises with M/S Semiramis artifact — 1955 Aegean Cruises with M/S Semiramis

Achilleion Palace artifact — Achilleion Palace

1956

Onesiphorus Mosaic detail, Rotunda Thessaloniki artifact — Onesiphorus Mosaic detail, Rotunda Thessaloniki

Athens Festival 1956 artifact — Athens Festival 1956

1957

The Village Hotel: Skopelos Island artifact — The Village Hotel: Skopelos Island

The Village Hotel: Elatou & Terpsithea, Aetolia-Acarnania artifact — The Village Hotel: Elatou & Terpsithea, Aetolia-Acarnania

The Village Hotel: Villia, Attica artifact — The Village Hotel: Villia, Attica

The Village Hotel: Karya, Ellassona artifact — The Village Hotel: Karya, Ellassona

The Village Hotel: Mt. Pelion artifact — The Village Hotel: Mt. Pelion

Skyros Xenia Hotel artifact — Skyros Xenia Hotel

Rhodos Greece 1957 artifact — Rhodos Greece 1957

Thessaloniki 1956-57 artifact — Thessaloniki 1956-57

1958

Athens Greece 1958 artifact — Athens Greece 1958

Pamphlet

The Village Hotel: Kalentzi, Achaea artifact — The Village Hotel: Kalentzi, Achaea

The Village Hotel: Polydendro, Imathia artifact — The Village Hotel: Polydendro, Imathia

The Village Hotel: Alepochori, Phocis artifact — The Village Hotel: Alepochori, Phocis

Mykonos and Paros 1958 artifact — Mykonos and Paros 1958

Athens Festival 1958 artifact — Athens Festival 1958

Korfu Hellas 1958 artifact — Korfu Hellas 1958

Thessaloniki Greece 1958 artifact — Thessaloniki Greece 1958

Pamphlet

1959

Kastoria Hellas artifact — Kastoria Hellas

Pamphlet

Olympia Greece 1959 artifact — Olympia Greece 1959

Pamphlet

Sparti Mystras 1959 artifact — Sparti Mystras 1959

Pamphlet

The Village Hotel: Mikro Chorio, Evrytania artifact — The Village Hotel: Mikro Chorio, Evrytania

Pylos Grèce 1959 artifact — Pylos Grèce 1959

Korfu Griechenland1959 artifact — Korfu Griechenland1959

Thessaloniki 1959 artifact — Thessaloniki 1959

Ariane August 1959 artifact — Ariane August 1959

Inauguration of the οrganised beach in Vouliagmeni artifact — Inauguration of the οrganised beach in Vouliagmeni

1960

Callas as Norma at Epidaurus artifact — Callas as Norma at Epidaurus

Kreta Griechenland 1960 artifact — Kreta Griechenland 1960

Cyclades Grèce 1960 artifact — Cyclades Grèce 1960

Syros Tinos Andros 1960 artifact — Syros Tinos Andros 1960

Cephalonia Ithaca Zakynthos 1960 artifact — Cephalonia Ithaca Zakynthos 1960

Thessaloniki 1960 artifact — Thessaloniki 1960

Hydra's port photogrphed by N.A. Tombazi artifact — Hydra's port photogrphed by N.A. Tombazi

Delphi in 1960 artifact — Delphi in 1960

Inauguration of the Greece-Italy ferry connection artifact — Inauguration of the Greece-Italy ferry connection

1961

Arta Xenia Hotel artifact — Arta Xenia Hotel

Photograph

Ioannina Xenia Hotel artifact — Ioannina Xenia Hotel

Photograph

Karpenissi Xenia Hotel artifact — Karpenissi Xenia Hotel

Photograph

Port Facilties at Igoumenitsa artifact — Port Facilties at Igoumenitsa

Photograph

Delphi Greece 1961 artifact — Delphi Greece 1961

Pamphlet

Pilion Sporades Greece artifact — Pilion Sporades Greece

Thassos Samothraki 1961 artifact — Thassos Samothraki 1961

Callas in Cherubini's Medea artifact — Callas in Cherubini's Medea

An imaginary landscape in 18th century Athens artifact — An imaginary landscape in 18th century Athens

Syros Tinos Andros 1961 -1963 artifact — Syros Tinos Andros 1961 -1963

Pylos Griechenland 1961 artifact — Pylos Griechenland 1961

Corfu Greece 1961 artifact — Corfu Greece 1961

Thessaloniki 1961 artifact — Thessaloniki 1961

26th International Fair of Thessaloniki 1961 artifact — 26th International Fair of Thessaloniki 1961

Igoumenitsa Athens Road Map 1961 artifact — Igoumenitsa Athens Road Map 1961

Athenians rush to the coasts of Attica in 1961 artifact — Athenians rush to the coasts of Attica in 1961

1962

Greek Popular Art artifact — Greek Popular Art

Mykonos Delos 1962 artifact — Mykonos Delos 1962

Akti Apollon 1962 artifact — Akti Apollon 1962

4Oth Supreme Convention of the Order of AHEPA 1964 artifact — 4Oth Supreme Convention of the Order of AHEPA 1964

Athens Greece 1962 artifact — Athens Greece 1962

Sparti Mystras 1962 artifact — Sparti Mystras 1962

Tourism in Greece 1962 artifact — Tourism in Greece 1962

Holidays in Greece 1962 artifact — Holidays in Greece 1962

Carte de la Grèce 1962 artifact — Carte de la Grèce 1962

Map of Peloponnese 1962 artifact — Map of Peloponnese 1962

1963

Corfu Greece 1963 artifact — Corfu Greece 1963

Kephalinia, Zakynthos, Ithaki 1963 artifact — Kephalinia, Zakynthos, Ithaki 1963

Olympia 1963-65 artifact — Olympia 1963-65

Akti Apollon 1963 artifact — Akti Apollon 1963

Rhodos Grèce 1963 artifact — Rhodos Grèce 1963

Pelion Sporades 1963 artifact — Pelion Sporades 1963

Lesvos Chios Samos 1963 artifact — Lesvos Chios Samos 1963

Pylos Grèce 1963 artifact — Pylos Grèce 1963

Tourist Crete 1963 artifact — Tourist Crete 1963

Water skiing show at Vouliagmeni bay artifact — Water skiing show at Vouliagmeni bay

1964

Thessaloniki & East Macedonia 1964 artifact — Thessaloniki & East Macedonia 1964

Crete Greece 1964 artifact — Crete Greece 1964

Argosaronikos Gulf 1964 artifact — Argosaronikos Gulf 1964

Athens Greece 1964 artifact — Athens Greece 1964

Minoan Snake Goddess artifact — Minoan Snake Goddess

Lesvos Chios Samos Limnos 1964 artifact — Lesvos Chios Samos Limnos 1964

1965

Pylos Messinia Grèce 1965 artifact — Pylos Messinia Grèce 1965

Aegean Islands 1965 artifact — Aegean Islands 1965

1966

Xenia Hotels Griechenland 1966 artifact — Xenia Hotels Griechenland 1966

Ionian Islands in 1966 artifact — Ionian Islands in 1966

Delphi, The Treasury of the Athenians artifact — Delphi, The Treasury of the Athenians

Olympic Airways – First Transatlantic Flight artifact — Olympic Airways – First Transatlantic Flight

1967

Macedonia Greece artifact — Macedonia Greece

Kreta Greece 1967 artifact — Kreta Greece 1967

Athens Greece 1967 artifact — Athens Greece 1967

Sparti Mystras Monemvassia 1967 artifact — Sparti Mystras Monemvassia 1967

Tourist Map of Greece 1967 artifact — Tourist Map of Greece 1967

Xenia Magazine 1967 artifact — Xenia Magazine 1967

1969

Greece - The New Place artifact — Greece - The New Place

Western & Central Greece Greece 1969 artifact — Western & Central Greece Greece 1969

Northern Greece 1969 artifact — Northern Greece 1969

1970

Camping Sites in Northern Greece artifact — Camping Sites in Northern Greece

Pamphlet

Xenia Network in Halkidiki 1970 artifact — Xenia Network in Halkidiki 1970

1971

Greek Festivals 1971 artifact — Greek Festivals 1971

Nature-loving Horizons artifact — Nature-loving Horizons

1972

Café and open-air swimming pool at Zea Marina artifact — Café and open-air swimming pool at Zea Marina

Fly to Greece in your private airplane artifact — Fly to Greece in your private airplane

1973

Athens Nightlife 1973 artifact — Athens Nightlife 1973

Greek Festivals 1973 artifact — Greek Festivals 1973

1974

Mikra State Airport - Terminal Building Extension artifact — Mikra State Airport - Terminal Building Extension

1975

Beach racquet game by the sea artifact — Beach racquet game by the sea

1976

1977

Athens Attica 1977 artifact — Athens Attica 1977

Macedonia Thessaloniki 1977 artifact — Macedonia Thessaloniki 1977

1978

1981

1983

1984

Olympia in Japanese artifact — Olympia in Japanese

1985

1986

Travelling to Olympia in the 1980s artifact — Travelling to Olympia in the 1980s

Social Welfare Holidays Program 1986-87 artifact — Social Welfare Holidays Program 1986-87

1987

1988

1989

If work gets you down don't change your job, change your holiday artifact — If work gets you down don't change your job, change your holiday

1991

1992

Conservation and Development of Traditional Settlements artifact — Conservation and Development of Traditional Settlements

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