- From September 14 to 19, 2025, cruise company executives will explore Volos and the Sporades.
- Familiarization trip budget: €24,500, with Thessaly Region covering up to €13,140
- Eight executives represent more than 15 luxury cruise brands worldwide
- Aim: to integrate Volos and the Sporades into future cruise itineraries
The familiarization trip includes a four-day intensive high-level presentation of the cruise destination of Volos and the Sporades, aiming to gain an in-depth understanding of the real potential of the ports and the destination in general, to be included in upcoming cruise programs. This is the first organized effort to target the cruise product of Volos and the Sporades to the specialized audience of the cruise sector. These executives, based on their expertise and experience, are responsible for preparing cruise programs, cruise ship itineraries, and planning excursions for passengers.
Selling a Destination, One Cruise Boss at a Time
Forget PowerPoint slides. When it comes to convincing luxury cruise lines to add Volos and the Sporades to their itineraries, nothing beats flying in the people who actually design those itineraries. From September 14 to 19, senior cruise executives will descend on Thessaly for a five-day “fam trip” showcasing ports, excursions, and, yes, all the ouzo and octopus that local hospitality can muster.
The price tag? About €24,500, with Thessaly Region picking up a little over half. A small investment, authorities argue, for the chance to woo decision-makers who control fleets ranging from mega-liners to boutique yachts.
From Boardrooms to Beaches
The delegation—eight executives representing more than 15 international cruise brands—carries significant influence. These are the people who decide ship routes, shore excursions, and whether passengers end up wandering Volos’ neoclassical streets or Instagramming sunsets in Skopelos.
Volos and the Sporades will be pitched not only as ports of call but as experiences that go beyond the usual. Think food and wine tours, religious heritage, hiking, climbing, cycling, and a healthy dose of local hospitality. In short: a cruise brochure that sells itself.
Looking Toward 2026 and Beyond
According to the Region of Thessaly, the benefits could be visible as early as the 2026 season, with stronger growth expected in 2027 and 2028. Officials point out that the region’s infrastructure has fully recovered, and new experiences are ready to be folded into cruise programs—proof that Thessaly is not just a stop, but a destination.
As one organizer put it, this is the first structured, targeted push to reintroduce Volos and the Sporades to the high-end cruise market. And if it works, it means more visitors stepping off gangways, more local businesses cashing in, and fewer empty tavern tables when the summer crowds fade.
