With the participation of prominent figures from Greece and abroad, the “Reimagine Tourism” initiative returns for a third year, focusing on the formation of a sustainable and resilient tourism development model for the country. The conference will take place on November 18 and 19, 2025, at the Lighthouse of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), and is expected to become a point of reference for the public debate on the future of Greek tourism.
The discussions will focus on critical issues such as spatial planning, sustainable practices, infrastructure development, as well as the protection of natural and cultural heritage. All issues will be examined within the framework of a unified and strategic policy, aiming at a holistic approach to the challenges and opportunities that Greek tourism will face in the coming years.
The newly elected Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Shaikha Nasser Al Nowais, will deliver a speech at the conference, signaling the global dimension of the event. Of particular interest is the conversation between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and award-winning author Victoria Hislop, on the topic of Greece’s cultural heritage as a source of national wealth.
Among the international guests, Gloria Guevara, former President and CEO of the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC), will develop the topic “Greece as a World’s First Choice Tourist Destination”, highlighting the country’s potential in a highly competitive global market.
On the Greek side, speakers include Minister of Tourism Olga Kefalogianni, President of SETE Ioannis Paraschis, Professor Stathis Kalyvas of the University of Oxford, as well as representatives of leading tourism business groups. Among them, James Riley, Director of East India Hotels, and Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Director of the Cruise Sector of the MSC Group, who will present the prospects for the development of cruising in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Of particular interest is the intervention of Matteo Sarzana, Head of Airbnb for Italy and Southeastern Europe, who will address the burning issue of short-term rentals, an area that affects both the economy of tourist destinations and the daily lives of local communities.
The program also includes a thematic section dedicated to yachting, with the aim of exploring the possibilities for further development of a sector that contributes significantly to the expansion of the tourist season and the economic strengthening of island regions.
The “Reimagine Tourism in Greece” initiative aspires to be an open dialogue between the state, businesses, academics and society, for the transition to a new tourism model that will be based on the revitalization of cities, the strengthening of the local economy and the promotion of the unique natural and cultural identity of the country.
As the organizers emphasize, the goal of the conference is to shape a tourism ecosystem that enriches the visitor’s experience, while at the same time creating long-term benefits for local communities. The third edition of “Reimagine Tourism” comes at a time when Greece is called upon to answer key questions about the future of its tourism — how it can remain competitive, without burdening its ecosystems and infrastructure, and how tourism development can become a lever for prosperity for all.
