“Creating Opportunities, Growth, and Cohesion”
The HORECA event celebrated 90 years of contribution to Greek Tourism by the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH)
Reaffirming the resilience of the Greek tourism product, addressing specialized national challenges that will propel the future of Hospitality, and leveraging the momentum for collaboration among all sectors related to tourism: these are the pillars of the public dialogue established at the conference of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH), held during HORECA 2025 on Saturday, February 8th.
With a strong presence of institutional figures and industry leaders, as well as hoteliers from across the country, the HCH Conference “Creating Opportunities, Development, and Cohesion” was honored, marking the 90th anniversary of its establishment. As highlighted in his welcome address by the President of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, Mr. Alexandros Vasilikos, “in essence, the course of Greek tourism runs parallel to the history of the Chamber”.
However, the head of the HCH emphasized that the conference is not merely a celebration of an anniversary milestone but aims to address current and future issues of the giant of the Greek economy and officially inaugurate the action plan “Hospitality with Value for All”. Mr. Vasilikos underscored that tourism serves as a powerful development catalyst, while also outlining the most pressing issues for the tourism industry, including contributions to sustainability, inclusive principles, employment support, and the added value generated by utilizing local assets. He also announced that the next conference will take place by June in Rhodes, as part of promoting the “Hospitality with Value for All” initiative.
Alexandros Vasilikos
Elena Rapti
Expanding Destinations and Extending the Season
In her speech, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Mrs. Elena Rapti, expressed optimism regarding the dynamic movement in the tourism sector, emphasizing that Greece consistently ranks in the top ten global destinations for holidays. She mentioned that the tourism turnover for 2025 is expected to surpass previous excellent years. She added that the goal is to expand both geographically and temporally, by adding more destinations within Greece to the agendas of travelers and bookers, as well as extending the tourism season beyond the summer months.
Mr. Giorgos Chatzimarkos, Governor of the South Aegean and President of the Union of Greek Regions, spoke about the challenges that Greek tourism has overcome in the last decade, such as the economic crisis, the pandemic, and the refugee-migration flows. He emphasized that “those who previously spoke about the ‘vulnerable’ tourism sector were right, but only temporarily, as the sector reorganized in the face of challenges and emerged much stronger from them”. To support his statements, Mr. Chatzimarkos reminded the audience that in 2020, when global travel was at a standstill, Greece was the only country that managed to stay partially “open.”
Regarding the “Shopping in Greece” project, Mr. Stavros Cafounis, President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce, mentioned it as an effort to “package” commercial products alongside tourism, convincing foreign visitors to leave with something Greek in their luggage or with the intention of ordering it once they return to their home countries.
The Multifaceted Impact of Hospitality and Key Obstacles
The President of the General Confederation of Greek Small Enterprises and Professionals (GSEVEE), Mr. Kavathas, shared his warmest wishes for the 90th anniversary of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels. He highlighted the significant impact of Greek tourism, noting that it “advertises” local products abroad through foreign visitors, who make up about 70% of total tourism activity. He also mentioned obstacles hindering further development, such as excessive taxation, lack of liquidity, and bureaucracy.
Stavros Kafounis
George Kavathas
Tourism Revenue Expected to Exceed 36 billion Euros in 2025
Mr. Theodoros Tzouros, Senior General Manager of Corporate and Investment Banking, Chief Corporate & Investment Banking, spoke to the delegates about impressive figures. According to the senior official from the conference’s gold sponsor bank, tourism turnover in 2025 is expected to exceed 36 billion euros, and its contribution to the budget will reach 20%, while contributing to 19% of total employment. Mr. Tzouros highlighted that Greece, Cyprus, Italy, and Turkey consistently rank high in travelers’ assessments, with Greece slightly lagging Turkey in terms of the price-quality ratio. He also pointed out the four regions of Greece that receive most tourists (Aegean, Ionian, Crete, and Attica) and stressed the hope that business travel would return. Finally, he raised critical issues that might tarnish the tourism experience, such as the lack of regional infrastructure, problematic or absent water supply and sewage systems, semi-trained staff, incomplete road networks, and insufficient healthcare infrastructure, especially in the regions.
Study on the Contribution of the Tourism Sector to the National Economy
Undoubtedly, tourism ranks at the top of the sectors providing oxygen to the Greek economy, according to a study presented by Dr. Sokolis, Associate Professor at Panteion University. The study revealed that the five sectors most benefiting from the hotel industry are retail commerce (21%), food (20%), agriculture (15%), real estate management (6%), and energy (4%), along with a range of other sectors (34%). An important conclusion was that 74% of hotels’ expenditure on food and beverage purchases goes to Greek products. Encouraging results were also noted regarding employment, as 87% of hotels trust and hire workers from the local community. Hotels also rank among the top three sectors with the highest contribution to Gross National Product, with a 4.5% share, alongside Catering (6.3%) and Agriculture (3.6%). Furthermore, it was emphasized that 44% of the income generated by the hotel industry is allocated to other sectors, compared to the 28% average for other sectors of the economy.
George Hadjimarkos
Alexandros Vasilikos, Elena Rapti
Processing, Construction, and Retail in Relation to Tourism
Three fascinating panels were moderated by journalist-communications expert Ms. Christina Poutetzi during the conference. Starting with the primary sector and manufacturing, the discussions featuring Dr. Ioannis Vogiatzis, oenologist-winemaker and President of the Greek Wine Association, Mr. Pantelis Kougios, Director of BAP P. Kougios A.B.E.E., and Mr. Nikos Pitaras, livestock farmer and cheesemaker, highlighted how essential the tourism sector is to their industries. Mr. Vogiatzis revealed that 97% of the wines preferred by hotels are Greek, considering Greek tourism as the primary “export market” for wine. He also linked the flourishing “wine tourism” to the growing trend of a balanced lifestyle, which promotes moderate wine consumption.
Mr. Pitaras emphasized that the Greek hotel industry, from family-owned to more exclusive versions, cannot function without the primary sector. Meanwhile, Mr. Kougios, who has been involved in bottling for three generations in Rhodes, explained that tourism “gave them wings” and “forced” them to upgrade their products.
Regarding the construction and renovation sector, it was noted that the architectural demands for hotel buildings are particularly high, and bureaucracy often encourages investors to prefer renovation of existing structures over constructing from scratch. Mr. Alexis Karatzimas, Managing Director at Apax Construction, pointed out that “today, the building itself has become a destination.”
Lastly, the retail panel focused on the opportunities to boost tourism’s impact on retail, which currently stands at a low 9%. Mr. Charalampos Arachovas, economist and Executive Director of the Greek Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship (ESEE), emphasized the need to focus on authentic Greek products rather than general shopping experiences.
The conference concluded with lunch and a networking session.
Platinum Sponsor: HORECA
Gold Sponsor: Piraeus Bank.
