With the solemn announcement that Greek tourism has entered a “new, more demanding environment”, the annual SETE Conference, optimistically titled Tourism Ahead, opened its doors—just in case anyone thought everything was going suspiciously too easy.
SETE President Yiannis Paraschis took the stage to explain that, despite somehow breaking every record thrown at it, tourism is now facing challenges. Serious ones. Strategic ones. The kind that requires PowerPoint slides and phrases like “the next decade.”
A Respectful Pause Before the Spreadsheets
The keynote began on an appropriately emotional note, with a tribute to Spyros Kokotos, pioneer of modern Greek hospitality and founding President of SETE.
According to Mr. Paraschis, Kokotos’ legacy proves that Greek tourism can grow with:
- quality
- environmental respect
- strategic clarity
In other words, it can be done—provided everyone behaves, plans, and lives in an ideal world.
Record Year, but Everyone Is Exhausted
Moving swiftly from memory to math, the SETE President described 2025 as both successful and demanding—a diplomatic way of saying: “The numbers look great, but please do not ask how everyone feels.”
According to the Bank of Greece:
- arrivals increased by 4%
- travel revenues rose by approximately 9%
This, we were told, supports the shift toward “higher-quality tourism.” Because nothing says quality quite like doing more with fewer people and higher costs.
Early signals for 2026 are, naturally, “encouraging.”
The Fine Print Nobody Advertises
Behind the optimistic graphs, however, many tourism businesses are operating at the edge of their endurance.
The reasons are familiar, but worth repeating—again:
- rising operating costs
- regulatory pressure
- chronic staff shortages
- global uncertainty that refuses to take a holiday
The message is clear: yes, tourism is booming—but it is also quietly holding its breath.
Forty Million Arrivals Later, We Pause to Reflect
Greek tourism has now crossed the 40 million arrivals mark, with projected revenues exceeding €22.5 billion in 2025.
This, we were informed, is no longer success.
It is the new starting point.
“With this new reality,” Mr. Paraschis said, “it is not enough to follow developments. We want Greek tourism to lead.”
Naturally, following is for beginners.
Geopolitics, AI, and Other Small Inconveniences
Attention then turned to the global environment, which remains unstable.
Factors affecting tourism now include wars, inflation, and stricter travel controls. Well, the world is complicated.
On the brighter side, the EU portfolio for Sustainable Transport and Tourism has been assigned to Greek Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, a development described as “positive”—and one that SETE intends to be very actively involved in.
Meanwhile, artificial intelligence and data analytics were acknowledged as tools already used by competitive businesses, subtly implying that those who are not using them should start pretending they are.
Infrastructure, Acceptance, and People (Still Missing)
Sustainable destination development was highlighted as a key issue—because private investment alone cannot fix:
- outdated transport networks
- insufficient digital infrastructure
- environmental strain
Without modern infrastructure, the tourism product, we were reminded, loses value—no matter how many arrivals it racks up.
And then there are the people.
Staff shortages and the need for new skills have become strategic risks, not inconveniences. SETE says it is actively participating in social dialogue on:
- new labour frameworks
- strengthening collective agreements
Which, translated, means everyone agrees something must be done—eventually.
The Master Plan That Will Save Everything
The conference closed with a call for cooperation between the public and private sectors to create a Master Plan for 2026–2035.
A plan for everything, presumably.
“The future will not come on its own. We will build it together,” Mr. Paraschis concluded, before handing the floor to Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, who inherited both the microphone and the decade-long optimism.
