Xenia Hotels Projects, 1950-1967. reapproaching the role of Post-War Architecture in Greece

Abstract

In the early 50s, Greece started its reconstruction after World War II and a following civil war. The Greek National Tourism Organization (G.N.T.O.) was founded in 1950, when tourism became a basic axis of the national economy, and started the Xenia Project; the one and only attempt of the greek State to create accommodation infrastructure for the development of Tourism. Under the dictatorship of 1967, the 'Era of Reconstruction' ended and the official tourism policy changed, giving priority to mass-tourism.The buildings of the project (more than 70 all over the country), prominent examples of Post-War Modern Greek Architecture, set the standards of accommodation for International Tourism, in a time that high standard facilities for tourists did not exist and there was no interest for private investment in tourism. The project includes different types of buildings (hotels, motels, hostels, pavilions etc.) in privileged places - beautiful and/or historical sites. Those constructions were made to offer hospitality to high class international tourists, who brought valuable foreign exchange to a poor developing country. On the other hand, those buildings with their infrastructures became very popular to the local society, hosting festivals, weddings, conferences etc. till nowadays.Xenia Hotels Project represents the efforts of the only non-communist Balkan country to connect with Westerns Europe. This paper reveals unknown aspects of Post_war Modern Greek Architecture, based on unpublished documents of the GNTO archives. Official policies on Tourism, the State Budget, international tourism models etc. defined the building types of the project. For almost two decades the Xenia Project evolved and adapted to a changing reality.