The long-awaited Work and Holiday visa agreement – allowing 18-30 year old Greeks and Australians to work in each other’s countries up to one year- is to be signed in Canberra on May 16, by visiting Tourism Minister of Greece Olga Kefalogianni and Immigration and Border Protection Minister of Australia Scott Morrison.
The Greek Minister of Tourism is visiting Australia in order to sign the agreement and in an attempt to boost even further tourism and the bilateral relations between the two countries. Almost 130,000 Australians travelled to Greece in 2013, a rise of 9.6 per cent.
Before her departure from Athens, in a message to the Greek Australian community, Ms Kefalogianni publicly acknowledged the achievements of the community, expressing her optimism that 2014 will be an even better year for tourism, which saw 18 million visitors visit Greece last year, and inviting all Australian to visit Greece, a secure and hospitable country for all visitors, she said.
Ms Kefalogianni will be in Melbourne on Monday and Tuesday, will travel to Canberra on Wednesday to sign the agreement and will sign off her Australian trip by visiting Sydney on Thursday and Friday this week.
While in Melbourne, Olga Kefalogianni will meet with tourist operators, and will visit the Victorian Parliament, where she will meet with the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, the President of the Legislative Council and Greek Australian MPs. The Tourism Minister of Greece will also meet with the Greek Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HACCI) and the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria. During her visit to the Hellenic Museum she is expected to meet the Premier of Victoria Dr Denis Napthine, while on Tuesday night at the Town Hall of the City of Monash she will launch an exhibition of posters by the National Greek Tourism Organisation EOT, entitled ‘A Journey in Time Through Art’ which is organised by the Embassy of Greece in Canberra. The Greek minister is also scheduled to meet City of Monash Greek Australian local government Councillors.