HCH: Tourism’s Major Challenges are Climate Crisis, Energy Transition, Staff Shortage

Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) President Alexandros Vassilikos highlighting the importance of tourism during the 7th International Hospitality Forum in Athens.

Greek tourism is facing critical issues, with the climate crisis, energy transition and staff shortage being at the forefront, Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) President Alexandros Vassilikos said on Saturday.

Opening the chamber’s 7th International Hospitality Forum in Athens, Vassilikos said the key to facing these great challenges is having the know-how and cooperation of all parties involved.

“The success of Greek tourism makes us all proud. Whether during the decade-long economic crisis or by leading the reboot after the pandemic, tourism proved to be the most dynamic and competitive sector of the Greek economy,” he said, adding that the industry has become a source of direct and indirect contribution to GDP, income, employment, social cohesion and public revenue.

“Tourism, from its position of national champion, can give even more. The momentum is such that it can become the great protagonist of the transition to a truly new Greece. We can be leading players at European and international level,” Vassilikos said, highlighting that the necessary strategic adjustments should be made immediately to respond to the major challenges of the times.

“The challenge is to change and adapt in order to respond directly to the needs and trends of the global market,” Vassilikos said, adding that the fundamental mission of the HCH is to ensure access to knowledge for all its members.

Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) President Alexandros Vassilikos.

Highlighting that hoteliers must look ahead towards the “big picture”, Vassilikos said that the chamber will continue to strive to be at the center of truly global knowledge for hospitality.

At this point, Vassilikos announced that the International Hospitality Forum would be completing its cycle following the 7th edition.

Athens to host leading R&R event

“By joining forces with GNTO and Enterprise Greece, we have succeeded in bringing to Greece for the next three years a renowned global event, the ‘Resort & Residential Hospitality Forum’,” he said.

“R&R was held in Portugal until 2023 and now for the next three years Athens will be at the center of the dialogue on all trends and developments in the international market,” Vassilikos said.

Organized by Questex, the R&R is dedicated to real estate investments – with an emphasis on residential and hospitality – but also on the development and operation of integrated tourist resorts in the Mediterranean region.

The 2024 R&R forum will take place in Athens this October under the cooperation of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and Enterprise Greece, the official investment and trade promotion agency of the Greek state.

The IHF from next year will be held as an independent session of Questex’s R&R conference in Athens.

7th IHF looks at ‘the next day’ for Greek hotels

7th IHF – The event’s moderator, Greek Travel Pages (GTP) CEO Maria Theofanopoulou, presenting the Executive Interview session.

The chamber’s International Hospitality Forum (IHF) was once again held with success and a large attendance of hoteliers and journalists at the Metropolitan Expo Center on the sidelines of the HORECA 2024 hotel exhibition.

The 7th IHF touched on issues through two panel discussions that attracted the interest of Greek hoteliers.

7th IHF – Panel 1: “Opportunities and Risks in the Era of Branding, Management & Franchise” – Moderator: Julie Rey-Gore, Content Director – Operational Real Estate, Questex. Speakers: Frank Reul, VP – Development Accor Premium, Midscale & Economy brands – Eastern Europe, Balkans, Italy & Greece, Accor; Will Dowling, SVP Development – Europe, Middle East, Africa & Asia, Virgin Hotels; and Nikos Karaflos, Owner & General Manager of Dexamenes Beach Resort.

The first panel, titles “Opportunities and Risks in the Era of Branding, Management, and Franchise”, mapped the new demanding reality that is taking shape in the hotel industry, through the intense international investment interest and the positioning of major brands and chains in Greece.

7th IHF – Panel 2: “Generational Change and Wealth Management” – Moderator: Joe Stather, VP – Operational Real Estate, Questex. Speakers: Theodore Tzouros, Executive General Manager, Chief of Corporate & Investment Banking, Piraeus Bank S.A.; Eftichia Kasselaki, Partner & Consulting Services EY, People Consulting, Head of EY Private; and Panos Paleologos, President & Founder of HotelBrain Group.

The second panel, entitled “Generational Change and Wealth Management” analyzed the challenges that are emerging as Greek the tourism industry matures and undergoes a generational shift, with management passing from the original founders to the second and third generations.

The 7th IHF also hosted an interview of Thanos Papasavvas, CFA Founder & Head of Investments, ABP Invest, who spoke about geopolitical developments and how they affect tourism.

7th IHF – Executive Interview with Thanos Papasavvas, CFA Founder & CIO, ABP Invest, on “Adapting to Economic Shifts: Strategies for Success”.

Following the forum, the chamber’s president said that the Greek hotel sector, with its ability to adapt to global trends and the successes that follow, can be the leading sector towards the transition of Greece to optimism and extroversion.

Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) President Alexandros Vassilikos.

“That is why valid information and specialized knowledge leading to timely and effective adaptation to the demands and trends of the global market are of decisive importance. Knowledge is power in a rapidly changing global environment. Knowing where to look is a prerequisite for making the right business decisions. This is the fundamental mission of HCH and for the last seven years this has been the mission and the great added value of the International Hospitality Forum for each of our members, for each Greek hotelier,” Vassilikos said.

The 7th International Hospitality Forum was powered by Questex.

The Greek Travel Pages (GTP) was a media supporter of the 7th International Hospitality Forum.