Charles Forte, Director of Development at Rocco Forte Hotels, shared insights into the essential elements of hospitality, emphasizing that the most critical factors for success are the right culture, services, and team. He highlighted the importance of collecting guest data through a system to enhance the quality of experiences and the role of good personnel in maintaining high standards.
Forte also pointed out that differentiation in a competitive market can be challenging, especially in luxury hospitality. He mentioned that the brand is close to signing a deal in Athens, underlining its focus on sustainability, local traditions, and materials. Additionally, Forte expressed his belief that Greece, with its rich heritage, offers strong potential for expansion, citing its similarities to Italy. With high service standards as a top priority, he outlined the brand’s goal of maintaining its reputation for excellence and personalized design across all locations.
Talk on Cities For People:
Mayor Doukas highlighted that traffic is the most challenging issue to resolve in Athens. He mentioned monitoring complaints and response times using a dedicated system in his office. He also expressed a vision for Athens to become a safer city.
Regarding urban development, he emphasized that smart cities are not the ultimate goal but a means to achieve sustainability, environmental protection, and reduced inequalities.
UK Ambassador Matthew Lodge discussed infrastructure as a key challenge in both the UK and Greece, emphasizing the importance of modernization to meet the needs of residents and visitors. He also stressed the urgency of addressing the climate crisis through collaboration between public and private sectors and investing in green transportation infrastructure, such as cycling and walking paths. He reflected on the livability of city centers, contrasting Athens’ vibrancy with London’s emptiness after business hours.
Susanna Terstal, the Dutch Ambassador to Greece, expressed her gratitude for serving in Greece, highlighting the importance of balance between local residents and tourists. She emphasized that cities need to be not only sustainable but also liveable.
Athens Mayor Haris Doukas addressed urban challenges, noting that while Athens does not yet face over-tourism, there is a clear housing crisis. He emphasized efforts to enhance infrastructure and create greener cities, including an initiative to plant 5,000 trees annually, with 4,000 planted this year. Doukas highlighted a microforest initiative in Kypseli, one of Europe’s most densely populated areas, showcasing its value to both residents and tourists.
The mayor also mentioned ongoing studies to assess the potential for over-tourism and reiterated the city’s commitment to tackling housing issues.
Talk on National Brands of Greece:
Mari Daskalantonaki, CEO of Grecotel, emphasized that it is feasible for a Greek chain to operate successfully abroad. She stated, “This is a goal for us, but I don’t think it’s our primary focus.”
Psaltis: Banks Ready to Support Greek Businesses in Global Expansion
Vassilis Psaltis, CEO of Alpha Bank, expressed that Greek banks are prepared to support businesses ready to expand internationally. He highlighted the readiness of the financial sector to assist companies in “spreading their wings” abroad.
Theodoropoulos: Greek Exports on a Steady Rise Over the Last Eight Years
Spiros Theodoropoulos, Chairman of SEV, noted that Greek exports have seen continuous growth over the past eight years. He remarked that Greek companies must adapt to local markets and competitive conditions while differentiating between the brand of the company and the country. He also pointed out the significance of the “Made in Greece” label as a positive factor when paired with a strong domestic tourism experience.
Theodoropoulos praised Greek strengths, including a skilled workforce, a high level of foreign language proficiency, and quality raw materials. He also referenced “filotimo,” a uniquely Greek concept of honor and pride in one’s work, as a cultural advantage, urging focus on strengths rather than weaknesses for success abroad.
Talk on Greece as a Cosmopolitan Experience:
“Another record-breaking year, with increased arrivals and higher revenues based on data from the Bank of Greece,” said the Prime Minister.
Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis Announces Record Tourism Figures at Greece Talks Conference
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis revealed remarkable results for Greek tourism during the Travel.gr Greece Talks conference, co-organized with Proto Thema. He stated that 2024 has been another record-breaking year, citing data from the Bank of Greece. The country welcomed 5.1 million international visitors, generating nearly €20 billion in revenue—a figure expected to grow further. Mitsotakis also projected sustained growth in inbound tourism through at least 2030.
In a discussion with Andrew Tuck, Editor-in-Chief of Monocle Magazine, Mitsotakis emphasized that the key challenge lies in providing higher-quality, more comprehensive experiences for visitors. Strategies such as extending the tourism season and improving peak-period infrastructure at popular destinations like Mykonos and Santorini are central to this effort.
He highlighted the success of managing the Acropolis, Greece’s top attraction, as an example. With proper measures, 20,000 daily visitors can be served efficiently, ensuring a unique experience. This model is being explored for other landmarks across the country.
Additionally, the Prime Minister stressed the importance of sustainability and respect for local communities. Measures such as cruise ship levies and regulations on short-term rentals aim to prevent overcrowding and maintain high service standards. Mitsotakis noted that Greece has not faced significant anti-tourist sentiment, a challenge seen in other global destinations.
In conclusion, Mitsotakis underscored the critical need for balancing growth with quality, sustainability, and community well-being to secure the future of Greek tourism.
Mitsotakis’s Arrival at the Conference
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived at the Hotel Grande Bretagne, where he was welcomed by Proto Thema publisher Tasos Karamitsos.
Travel.gr, Greece’s largest travel site, and Proto Thema are organizing the 3rd innovative Greece Talks conference on Friday, November 29, at the Hotel Grande Bretagne. The event, titled Identity, Future & the Traveler, focuses on Greece and Tourism.
Prominent speakers from Greece and abroad will share stories of creativity, innovation, and collaboration, fostering meaningful dialogue and generating ideas about Greece’s future in global tourism.
The mission of Greece Talks is to highlight the strengths of Greece in all areas related to Travel and Tourism, with key objectives:
- Emphasizing the importance of Tourism for the National Economy
- Showcasing people, ideas, and case studies marking the country’s transition to a new era
- Inspiring strategies, initiatives, and actions to promote Greece’s image and tourism identity now and in the future.
Program:
11:00
Opening – Welcome Remarks
- Fotis Tsimelas, Chief Product Officer
- Androniki Kolovou, Director of Travel.gr
11:10
Greece as a Cosmopolitan Experience
- Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister
- Andrew Tuck, Editor-in-Chief, Monocle Magazine
11:50
National Brands of Greece
- Kostis Hatzidakis, Minister of National Economy and Finance
- Spyros Theodoropoulos, Chairman & CEO, BESPOKE SGA HOLDINGS SA, Chairman of the Board, SEV
- Vasileios Psalitis, CEO, Alpha Bank
- Mari Daskalantonaki, Managing Director, Grecotel
Moderator: Antonis Sroiter
12:35
Cities For People
- Haris Doukas, Mayor of Athens
- Susanna Terstal, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Greece
- Matthew Lodge, Ambassador of the UK to Greece
Moderators: Elias Kikilias, Giorgos Michailidis
13:05
The State of Tourism & Hospitality 2024
Keynote Speaker: Ivan Gladstone, Associate Partner, McKinsey & Company
13:15
Personalised Experiences in the Future of Hospitality
- Charles Forte, Director of Development, Rocco Forte Hotels
- Kostas Panagakis, Principal, Travelworks Public Relations
13:35
Break
14:15
New Emotions in an Era of Mass Tourism
- Nikolaos H. Stampolidis, General Director, Acropolis Museum
- Dr. Angeliki Kottaridi, Honorary Archaeological Conservator
Moderator: Tina Mandilara
14:45
Conceiving the Future Hotel Experience
- Andreas Fiorentinos, General Secretary, EOT (Greek National Tourism Organization)
- Alexandros Vassilikos, President, Hellenic Chamber of Hotels & HOTREC
- Agapi Sbokou, CEO, PHĀEA | VP, SETE | VP, Marketing Greece
- Markos Chaidenos, Managing Director, Canaves Collection
Moderator: Giorgos Evgenidis
15:20
Wellness: Visualising a Transformative Journey
Keynote Speaker: Dimitris Daios, Managing Director & Member of the Board, Hellas Holiday Hotels SA
15:30
Innovation in Hospitality Design, and The Ilisian
Keynote Speaker: Tom Chalmers, Principal, Avro|Ko
15:40
Building Identity
Keynote Speaker: Andreas Kostopoulos, Co-Founder, Manhattan Projects
15:50
The Greek Cuisine Movement
Keynote Speaker: Athenagoras Kostakos, Culinary Director
16:00
Exploring the Horizon of Natural Ecosystems
Keynote Speaker: Stefanos Psimenos, Cartographer, Travel Guide Author
16:10
Locations: Myths Conveyed Through Film
- Christoforos Papakaliatis, Director, Screenwriter
16:30
Conclusion
