Athens Sea Tourism Forum
The potential for sea tourism and its significance in the development of the economies of Greece, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea region will be examined during the first Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, scheduled for next summer. On the second day, the development of the yachting industry as a key revenue generator will take centre-stage as ‘yachting economics’, including the influence of superyachts.
Under the heading, ‘The Challenge for Greece, the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea’, the Sea Tourism Forum will be held 21-22 June 2011 at the recently opened Onassis Cultural Centre in Athens. The forum will focus on three key areas of sea tourism: cruise shipping, the yachting industry and inter-island and passenger shipping. The programme will present the policies, the infrastructure and the land-based requirements necessary to support and promote these vital and inter-related sectors of tourism. The Sea Tourism Forum is organised under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Islands and Fisheries.
The inaugural two-day event is expected to attract the attention of the industry’s leaders and stakeholders who will focus on the challenges for sea tourism, investment opportunities in the region, new infrastructure projects and a platform for launching new ideas and ventures. “The conference will address key issues of the sea tourism industry, which creates synergies between shipping and tourism, hence creating new investment opportunities in the region” said Theodore Vokos, project manager, Posidonia Exhibitions S.A, the organiser of the event.
On the second day of the forum, the development of the yachting industry, including the growing influence of super yachts, comes under the spotlight. Among the issues to be debated are: Reversing ‘anti-yacht’ sentiment; Streamlining bureaucracy and reversing the trend of yachts leaving Greek marinas; Upgrading port and marine facilities and supporting infrastructure including repair and maintenance facilities; Providing accurate and up-to-date information on services and marinas to the international customer base; Developing services to improve travel from and in Greece.