The Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece presents the exhibition “Advertising Greece. The early days of Greek tourism” at the Lazaros Koundouriotis Historical Mansion, a branch of the National Historical Museum in Hydra, until 31.10.2026.

The exhibition retraces the beginnings of Greek tourism through posters and brochures published by the first state tourism organisations. These publications advertised the Greek landscape, the traditions and hospitality of Greece through high-quality art and graphic design. From the pre-war romanticism of promoting monuments and tradition, to the modernism, abstraction and visual design of the 1960s, they demonstrate a pioneering and timeless approach to promoting Greece as a unique tourist destination. The creators of the historic posters and the tourism brochures published by the National Tourism Organisation and its precursors include painters and designers such as Tasos Loukidis, Aggelos Spachis, Mimis Vitsoris, Michail Papageorgiou (Doris), Giorgos Kosmadopoulos, Alexandros Alexandrakis, Giorgos Manousakis, Periklis Byzantios, Panagiotis Tetsis, Spyros Vasileiou, Giorgos Vakirtzis, Louisa Montesantou, Elli Orfanou, Eleni Peraki-Theochari, Eirini Apergi, Giannis Faitakis, Tassos, Giannis Tsarouchis, Agni Katzouraki, Michalis Katzourakis and Freddie Carabott; photographers such as Nelly’s, Nikolaos Tompazis, Dimitris Harisiadis and Maria Chrousaki; lithographers such as Othon Pervolarakis and Sevastianos Kourkoulos, and many more. Their work was to leave a mark on their era. Two distinct exhibition units present the institution of the Epidaurus and Athens Festivals, which at that time were just starting out, laying the foundations for the country's cultural tourism, and the beginnings of tourism on Hydra. Special reference is made to the digital exhibition “Imagining Greece”, the work of an interdisciplinary team of scientists, which highlights the importance of tourism as an essential aspect of post-war Greece's identity. The digital exhibition is part of the research project “Tourism and National Branding, 1945-1990”. Part of the material comes from the Collections, Photographic Archive and Historical Documents Archive of the Historical and Ethnological Society of Greece - National Historical Museum.

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