SETE Conference to ‘Reimagine’ Greece’s Tourism Success

Photo source: SETE.

Greek tourism as a driving force of sustainable development, which can empower local communities and redefine economic success and business growth, will be at the forefront of the annual conference of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) that will run in Athens on December 15.

Scheduled to take place at the Athens Conservatory, the event titled “Reimagining success: #someTHRIVEdifferent” will host presentations and panel discussions with participants from a multitude of realms like politics, business, tourism, entrepreneurship, design and architecture.

SETE’s conference will shine the spotlight on the visitor economy, an underappreciated field extending beyond hospitality and transportation, and its best practices to showcase how tourism can contribute to Greece’s transition to sustainability and support local communities.

SETE President Yiannis Retsos. Photo source: SETE.

The speakers of this year’s event, which will include four sessions, include Valeria Duflot, Co-founder and ideator, Venezia Autentica; Jelka Tepšić, Deputy Mayor, City of Dubrovnik; Peter Jordan, Head of Insights at TOPOSOPHY; Thomas Doxiadis, Principal, doxiadis+ Architects & Landscape Architects; Elia Lampiri, Ceramist, Mud Lab; Vangelis Liakos, Co Founder, Beetroot design group; Margarita Ventouraki, Senior Project Designer, BETAPLAN; and Lydia Vousvouni, Fashion Designer, Co – Founder and Creative Director, KIÓHNE, among others.

SETE’s 2022 conference will launch with opening remarks by the confederation’s president, Yiannis Retsos, followed by a welcome speech by Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias.

In the first discussion panel of Session 1, entitled ” The Role of Synergies in Reaching New Frontiers”, Retsos will discuss with Akis Skertsos, Minister of State responsible for the coordination of government work; Kyriakos Pierrakakis, Minister of State and Digital Governance; and Costas A. Karamanlis, Minister of Infrastructure and Transport. The discussion will focus on the need to implement a national tourism strategy that will retain and enhance Greece’s global strength in the sector.

The 2018 SETE Conference. Photo source: SETE.

The session will also include a fireside chat titled “The Contemporary Culture in Place Branding” during which Nikolas Yatromanolakis, the Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports responsible for Contemporary Culture, and Ioanna Dretta, CEO of Marketing Greece, will exchange views and thoughts on the opportunities that destination branding offers to local development.

Session 2 will have a panel discussion under the title “Rethinking Relationships Between Tourism and Local Communities”. Powered by destination marketing agency TOPOSOPHY, the discussion will offer international speakers the opportunity to share insight from their personal experience and implementation of best practices on the subject.

The event will close with Session 3 entitled “Greek Talent at the Forefront of the Future” where representatives from various creative sectors will discuss the initiatives and business moves that define the “New Greekness in Tourism.”

A “Conclusion” session is also scheduled followed by a cocktail reception.

For further information on SETE’s 2022 conference, press here.