HOTREC: Rhodes to Host 1st EU Tourism Forum for Climate Crisis

European tourism bodies will meet on the island of Rhodes in Greece next week to attend the 1st Pan-European Forum “EU Tourism: Resilience in the Climate Crisis Era” to discuss the impact of the climate crisis on tourism.

An initiative of HOTREC, the umbrella association for Hotels, Restaurants, & Cafes in Europe, the forum will be held from April 8 to 9 and focus on how climate change affects traditional business models and travelers’ preferences and behaviors; complicates investments; and makes it difficult to manage tourism destinations. The forum will be organized by HOTREC in collaboration with the South Aegean Region.

“The climate crisis is here and is testing us all, and most certainly tourism,” HOTREC President Alexandros Vassilikos said while announcing the forum on Wednesday.

Joint declaration

Highlighting the importance of bringing together some of Europe’s top tourism organizations, Vassilikos announced that a joint declaration on climate change will be signed by all stakeholders during the forum.

HOTREC President Alexandros Vassilikos.

Through the Joint Declaration of Rhodes on Climate Change and European Tourism, the private sector’s tourism professionals will make a commitment to take actions to address the challenges that arise. Moreover, the joint decleration will serve as a call to the new leadership of the EU to develop policies and provide necessary funds to support private enterprises from the effects of climate change.

“By signing the Joint Declaration of Rhodes, we express our will for an integrated common European response to the global climate challenge,” Vassilikos said.

The European tourism bodies announced to participate in the “EU Tourism: Resilience in the Climate Crisis Era” forum and sign the joint declaration include Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe), Airlines for Europe (A4E), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), European Travel Agents’ and Tour Operators’ Association (ECTAA), European Exhibition Industry Alliance (EEIA), European Regions Airline Association (ERA), HOTREC, IAAPA (the global association for the attractions industry), IRU (the world road transport organization representing buses, coaches, trucks, and taxis) and the European Federation of Rural Tourism (Ruraltour).

Host destination Rhodes

South Aegean Region Governor George Hatzimarkos.

During the press conference, HOTREC’s president underlined the importance of Rhodes being selected as the forum’s host destination, considering that the island was affected greatly last year by the consequences of the climate crisis. In summer 2023 wildfires ravaged the Greek island causing emergency evacuations of thousands of residents and tourists from various locations. According to Vassilikos, the South Aegean island is now becoming a point of reference and a starting point for European solutions for sustainability and the resilience of tourism destinations.

“It is a great honor for the South Aegean Region to be at the center of the dialogue on the climate crisis and its effects on European tourism… We want our islands to be an example of sustainable tourism and are working towards this direction,” said the Region’s governor, George Hatzimarkos, during the press conference.

It should be noted that the South Aegean Region is taking action to establish Rhodes as the world’s first sustainable tourism destination with the “Rhodes Co-Lab” initiative, which has been launched in collaboration with TUI Group and the TUI Care Foundation.

The “EU Tourism: Resilience in the Climate Crisis Era” forum will be attended by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.