London Discovers an Unknown Island
In a heroic effort to raise awareness of one of the world’s most underexposed islands, Greek tourism officials hosted a promotional lunch for Santorini at Myrtos by Asimakis in London on November 3, 2025.
The event — curated by Katilena Alpe in collaboration with the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) — aimed to introduce British journalists to the peculiar destination of Santorini, an island that has long been shrouded in mystery and absent from Google Images.
The Mission: Authenticity
Representing the GNTO were General Secretary Andreas Fiorentinos, UK & Ireland Director Eleni Skarveli, and Deputy Director Angela Tzifa. George Papatzanis also represented the Ministry of Tourism, while the Municipality of Thira sent an impressive delegation, including Georgia Nomikou, President of both the Municipal Council and the Tourism Committee, as well as Minas and Manolis Kafieris, accompanied by press consultant Nikos Zafeiropoulos.
Also present was Bettany Hughes, celebrated philhellene and historian — possibly the only person in the room who didn’t need to be told where Santorini is.
To ensure the message of authenticity reached every corner of the cake, three professional wedding planners — Iosifina Politi, Eleni Liori, and Katerina Panagopoulou — also attended, representing the island’s vital marriage export industry.
Four Videos, One Volcano
Between sips of wine and polite nods, guests were treated to the new GNTO Santorini campaign video, followed by four thematic masterpieces presented by Georgia Nomikou:
- The Festival of Volcanoes – for visitors who enjoy their authenticity with a slightly explosive edge.
- Santorini Experience – promoting athletic activities in a place where most people prefer to nap with a view.
- The Year of Authenticity – because apparently Santorini wasn’t authentic enough last year.
- Weddings in Santorini – lovingly edited by the island’s tireless wedding planners, who clearly needed another reason to buy drone footage.
Enthusiastic Reactions
British journalists responded with “great interest” in learning about “the authentic experiences” of the island — an expression often used at lunches where dessert has just arrived.
Still, the initiative was praised as “a valuable step” in the ongoing joint effort by the GNTO and the Municipality of Thira to promote Santorini as a destination of culture, authenticity, and quality hospitality — just in case its 2.2 million annual visitors had forgotten.
Because Some Legends Must Be Reintroduced
In the end, the London event proved that Santorini continues to enjoy the kind of attention usually reserved for pop stars and solar eclipses.
And while the rest of the world may still be catching up, Greek tourism officials can rest easy knowing they’ve once again brought the world’s most photographed island to light.
Next stop: perhaps someone should tell them about Mykonos.
