Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas Delivers Opening Address at the Transatlantic Summit “Skift” in New York
Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas delivered the opening address at the Transatlantic Summit (Skift) in New York City, during his visit to the United States.
Mr. Tzitzikostas took part in one of the leading global tourism forums, organized by the European Travel Commission, which brought together 150 senior executives from across the transatlantic travel ecosystem. The summit examined the evolving dynamics of travel between Europe and North America.
Top representatives from airlines, travel agencies, destination management organizations, and travel tech pioneers emphasized that the transatlantic corridor remains the most important travel route globally. Its shape is being influenced by changing traveler demands, geopolitical shifts, and accelerating digital innovation. Participants at the summit explored opportunities to strengthen partnerships in order to address current mobility challenges and shape a new framework for more, better, and more sustainable travel.
In his speech, Mr. Tzitzikostas highlighted the importance of transatlantic travel flows, the development of a new strategy for European tourism, the challenges facing the mobility sector, and the opportunities arising from innovation, shifting travel behaviors, sustainable and multimodal transport. He also underlined the strategic significance of the EU–US relationship in shaping global tourism.
“The transatlantic corridor is the busiest travel route in the world. It connects our people, builds bridges, and provides a vital economic boost to our economies on both sides of the Atlantic. Last year, nearly 10 million Europeans traveled to the United States, while Americans spent over 34 million nights in Europe. I believe it’s fair to say we have a two-way relationship—deeply enriched, mutually beneficial, and immensely valuable.
Some of these trips are for business, others for leisure—but all of them generate jobs, income, and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic.
The diversity we offer visitors keeps tourists coming back. For Europe, the US is the most important long-haul market. American visitors stay longer and spend more than the average traveler. That’s why, together with the European Travel Commission, we’ve launched campaigns across the US not only to promote our most iconic destinations, but also to highlight lesser-known regions. We do this because we want to distribute the benefits more evenly, across all regions and year-round.
You’ll see this approach reflected in our upcoming first-ever European Tourism Strategy, which I will present in 2026. It will focus on three key priorities:
Supporting destinations in their transition to more sustainable and resilient models,
Promoting digital innovation for the benefit of both travelers and businesses,
Deepening international partnerships with key allies—starting here, with the US, our closest and most valuable partner.
Each of these priorities creates opportunities—from innovation in digital payments to diversification and the establishment of a global benchmark for sustainability,” Mr. Tzitzikostas emphasized.
Addressing modern-day challenges, the Commissioner noted that both the EU and the US are making crucial adjustments:
“Europe is investing in high-speed rail and multimodal ticketing systems. The US is modernizing its infrastructure. Together, we can make travel smoother, more reliable, and more sustainable,” he said.
Mr. Tzitzikostas stressed that “tourism is more than an industry—it is a ‘soft power,’ whose value should never be underestimated. It means millions of jobs, billions in revenue, and bridges between communities across borders. Together, the EU and the US create the world’s largest travel and tourism market. Turbulence may be inevitable from time to time, but with strong partnerships and a shared vision, there is literally no obstacle we cannot overcome.”
On the sidelines of the forum, the Commissioner held meetings and discussions with tourism stakeholders and representatives from both the EU and the US. These included talks on strengthening Europe’s position in the American market, assessing current trends and challenges, and collecting insights that will feed into the new unified European tourism strategy to be unveiled next year.
During his stay in New York, Mr. Tzitzikostas also held one-on-one meetings with:
– Archbishop Elpidophoros of America,
– EU Ambassador to the United Nations Stavros Lambrinidis,
– Greek Consul General in New York Ifigeneia Kanara,
– President of the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce (HACC) Eftychia Pylarinou-Piper,
– and senior executives of major U.S. tourism organizations.
