Greece AI chatbot answers visa and ferry questions in 31 languages

Greece's official tourism portal now runs an AI chatbot that answers visa and ferry questions in 31 languages, with voice input, before travelers ever reach the border.

An AI info desk replaced the tourist office kiosk

The redesigned VisitGreece.gr website and companion app went fully live July 1, built around an AI system that operates in two modes, the Greek National Tourism Organization said. Chat Mode handles itinerary building and recommendations. InfoDesk Mode delivers certified answers on visa requirements, ferry routes and accessibility, pulling from official Greek government sources rather than scraped web content.

The assistant works by text or voice, powered by an ElevenLabs speech integration announced in May. It supports 31 languages, including English, French, German and Spanish and folds in the older mAiGreece assistant that has been running on Gov.gr since June 2024. The mobile app is free and logs in through Google, Apple or Facebook accounts.

What travelers actually get at the visa and ferry stage

The chatbot doesn't issue visas. It confirms what a specific nationality needs to enter Greece, whether Schengen short-stay rules apply and which documents a consulate will ask for before an applicant books an appointment. Long-stay categories relevant to remote workers, including the digital nomad visa covered in the Greece guide, are inside the InfoDesk scope.

For ferries, the tool answers route and operator questions across the roughly 15,000 mapped points of interest, useful for anyone island-hopping without a fixed itinerary. Accessibility filters flag step-free routes and facilities, which the previous portal buried.

Practical steps before arrival

Travelers should run their nationality and trip length through InfoDesk Mode before booking, because the answers reflect current Greek consular guidance rather than third-party summaries that often lag rule changes. Nomads planning multi-island stays can pre-load ferry connections in the app while still on airport Wi-Fi, avoiding the port-side scramble when Greek carrier websites lock up during peak season.

The 112 emergency button with geolocation, inherited from mAiGreece, stays in the app after the merge. That alone is worth installing before the flight, separate from any trip-planning use.