The 8th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum (PSTF) concluded in Heraklion, Crete, with a resounding call for stronger collaboration, smarter infrastructure investment, and a more inclusive approach to cruise and short sea development across the Southeast Mediterranean region.

Held under the theme “The Med: A Compelling Need for New Marquee Ports & Destinations”, the two-day forum attracted over 700 industry leaders, policymakers, port authorities, and tourism experts. The event spotlighted the region’s urgent need to expand capacity, enhance port infrastructure, and better align cruise operations with local expectations and environmental commitments.

The 2025 Forum drew over 700 participants, including representatives from 15 cruise lines, 42 exhibitors and sponsors, 26 media sponsors and 52 industry-leading speakers. The event stimulated talks around sustainable tourism, developing new cruise destinations and expanding the Eastern Mediterranean’s role in global cruise itineraries.

In a nutshell, PSTF 2025 presented a comprehensive view of the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of sea tourism in the Mediterranean and beyond. The consensus: responsible growth, strategic innovation, and collaborative planning are essential for the region to maintain its appeal as a global cruise hub.

PSTF delegates were also given the opportunity to network and unwind at various side social events held in prestigious venues at picturesque locations throughout the wider Heraklion Municipality.

THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF GREECE
APHRODITE SKINCARE
BEWISE
C TELEPORT BV
CELESTYAL
CRUISEWAY TRAVEL
DKPK PC
GELASAKIS GROUP OF COMPANIES
HELLENIC ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER SA (HEC SA)
HELLENIC PORTS ASSOCIATION (ELIME)
HERAKLION PORT AUTHORITY SA
3rd HERAKLION PORT FIRE STATION
KAVALA PORT AUTHORITY
KYVERNITIS TRAVEL GROUP
MARMARIS CRUISE PORT
MEDCRUISE
MUNICIPAL PORT FUND OF S. DODECANESE
MUNICIPALITY OF CHERSONISSOS
MUNICIPALITY OF CHIOS – CHIOS TOURISM OFFICE
MUNICIPALITY OF HERAKLION
MUNICIPALITY OF LASITHI PLATEAU
MUNICIPALITY OF MALEVIZI
NAVIGATOR TRAVEL & TOURIST SERVICES LTD
NETWORK BUSINESS SOLUTIONS EPE
ODAP (HELLENIC ORGANISATION OF CULTURAL RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT)
PIRAEUS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
PIRAEUS PORT AUTHORITY SA
PLUS10X
REGION OF CRETE
REGION OF THESSALY
SHIPMONEY
SKY EXPRESS
SMARTMARINAS
SMARTSEA LIMITED
TRAVELWAY
WILHELMSEN PORT SERVICES HELLAS

• Mr George Pavlidis, Sales Specialist, ABB SA
• Mr Spyros Vougious, Director, Shipping Programs, Alba Graduate Business School, The American College of Greece
• Mr Alexandros Karanasios, PRF Compliance Officer, Antipollution SA
• Mr Lykourgos Kiassos, Regional Port Manager, Antipollution SA
• Mr Michalis Vlatakis, President, Association of Cretan Tourism & Travel Agencies
• Ms Calypso Diareme, Global Head Cruise, ATPI
• Mr Theodoros Frantzeskakis, Director DLQs Monitoring & Analytics, Attica Bank
• Mr Panos Dikaios, CEO, Attica Group
• Mr Charis Chartosias, Commercial Manager, Baseblue Ltd
• Mrs Maria Theodoridou, Trader, Baseblue Ltd
• Mr Marios Bougioukas, Shipping Director, BCA College
• Mrs Marie-Claire Boyes, Sales Director, C Teleport
• Mrs Natascha Tielman, Head of Customer Success, C Teleport
• Mr Nikolaos Chalkiadakis, CEO, Cactus Hotels
• Mrs Ligia Balea, Product Manager, Shore Excursions, Carnival Cruise Line
• Mr Alexios Economou, VP Hotel Manager & Passenger Services, Celestyal
• Capt Vassilios Gazikas, VP Marine Operations, Celestyal
• Mrs Eleni Karachaliou, Country Manager, Celestyal
• Capt George Koumpenas, Chief Operating Officer, Celestyal
• Mr Chris Theophilides, CEO, Celestyal
• Ms Madeleine Madianou, Director of Sales, Chandris Hotels (Athens Marriott, The MET)
• Mrs Eleni Symeoni Chatzelli, Communications & Public Affairs Officer, Greece-Eastern Mediterranean, CLIA
• Mrs Maria Deligianni, Regional Director, Eastern Mediterranean, CLIA
• Mrs Julie Green, Deputy Director General, CLIA
• Mr Gregory Spourdalakis, Managing Director, Columbia Shipmanagement Greece
• Mr Aristeides Batsoulis, Director of Technical Service, Corfu Port Authority SA
• Mr Spyridon Zervopoulos, CEO, Corfu Port Authority SA
• Mrs Melanthia Kanavaki, General Manager, Creta InterClinic – HHG
• Mrs Barbara Buczek, Chief Destination Experiences Officer, Cruise Saudi
• Mr Adam Sharp, Director of Development, Cruise Terminal International
• Ms Frances Gannon, Editor & Publisher, Cruisetimes
• Mrs Tatiana Hambas, President & CEO, Cruiseway Travel
• Ms Adria Bono, Director, Destination Experiences, Crystal Cruises
• Mr Nicholas Pagonis, Senior Vice President, Marine & Technical Operations, Disney Cruise Line
• Mr Antonios Manias, Dev and Marketing Co Executive, DKPK
• Capt George Chronakis, Marine Personnel Manager, Eastern Mediterranean Maritime Limited
• Mr Apostolos Kamarinakis, CEO, Elefsis Port Authority SA
• Mr Seiichi Suzuki, First Secretary and Chief of Economic Section, Embassy of Japan in Greece
• Mrs Konstantina Melanidi, Policy Assistant of Sustainable Transport and Tourism Cabinet, European Commission
• Mrs Anna Panagopoulou, Head of Sustainable Transport and Tourism Cabinet, European Commission
• Mr Kyriakos Samartzidis, Policy Assistant of of Sustainable Transport and Tourism Cabinet, European Commission
• Mr Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, European Commission
• Mrs Nektaria Girvalaki, Fire Major at a Land-Based Fire Station, Fire Fighting Brigade
• Mr Ioannis Bras, CEO, Five Senses Consulting
• Mrs Asli Deger, Guest Relations Asst. Manager, Galataport Istanbul
• Mr Tolga Tuncay, Port Director, Galataport Istanbul
• Mr Manos Aggelakis, Operations Manager, Gelasakis Group of Companies
• Mr Antonis Gelasakis, CEO Travel & Hospitality Divisions, Gelasakis Group of Companies
• Mr Yiannis Gelasakis, CEO – Maritime services Division, Gelasakis Group of Companies
• Mrs Zoi Dalla, Cruise & Yachting Manager, Gelasakis Shipping Agency
• Mr Angelos Samolis, Sales Manager, Giovanti Travel
• Mr Aziz Gungor, Regional Director, East Med Ports, Global Ports Holding
• Ms Chrysanthi Stefanou, Managing Director, Golden Star Ferries
• Mr Ioannis Pappas, Director, Med Region & EU Sustainable Destinations, GSTC
• Mr Michael Nomicos, Co-owner, Hardy Enterprises
• Mr Spyridon Nomicos, Managing Director, Hardy Enterprises
• Mrs Gina Polemi, President, HCPY/ ECPY Greece
• Mr Lysandros Tsilidis, President, Hellenic Association of Tourist & Travel Agencies
• Mr George Alexandratos, President, Hellenic Chamber Of Shipping
• Mrs Katerina Founta, Chemical Engineer, Hellenic Environmental Center
• Mr Vasileios Lambridis, Operations Manager, Hellenic Environmental Center
• Mr Panagiotis Stamatogiannis, Chairman of BoD, Hellenic Environmental Center
• Mr Akis Thomoglou, Commercial Manager, Hellenic Environmental Center
• Mr Konstantinos Kefalogiannis, Member of Parliament, Hellenic Parliament
• Mr Maximos Senetakis, Member of Parliament, Hellenic Parliament
• Mr Thanos Liagkos, Chairman, Hellenic Ports Association
• Mr Vasileios Mamalis, Executive Director, Hellenic Ports Association
• Mr Panagiotis Stavropoulos, New Generation Project Manager, HELMEPA
• Mr Karkanakis Evaggelos, President, Heraklion Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Mrs Kyriaki Kampana, Head of Financial Management Department, Heraklion Port Authority S
• Mr Georgios Merkoulidis, Corporate Lawyer, Heraklion Port Authority SA
• Mr Ioannis Papadakis, Collaborator, Heraklion Port Authority SA
• Mr Minas Papadakis, CEO, Heraklion Port Authority SA
• Mr Andreas Seimenis, Collaborator, Heraklion Port Authority SA
• Mrs Eleni Tsantiraki, Consultant, Heraklion Port Authority SA
• Mrs Paraskevi Voulgaraki, Collaborator, Heraklion Port Authority SA
• Mr Nikolaos Chartoudis, Heraklion Port Fire Department Commander, 3rd Heraklion Port Fire Station
• Mr Kallergos Voulgarakis, President, Heraklion Urban Bus
• Mr Sotiris Karantzias, Chief Operating Officer, ICTS Hellas
• Mr Athanasios Porfyris, CEO, Igoumenitsa Port Authority SA
• Mr Grant Holmes, Global Vice President, Cruise Solutions, Inchcape Shipping Services
• Mr George Spirakis, Global Commercial Development Manager, Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services
• Mr Michael Tsatsaronis, Vice President, Inter-Municipal Port Office of Chios
• Mr Mark Haneke, Chief Business Development Officer, International Airport Crete
• Mrs Mary Markou, Client Relations Manager, IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry
• Mrs Lucy Mylonaki, Marketing Director, IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry
• Mr Gregory Kekropoulos, Marketing and Technical Department, Kavala Port Authority SA
• Mr Angelos Vlachos, CEO, Kavala Port Authority SA
• Mr Gerhard Tost, Sales Director, KCL AS
• Mrs Christina Bezantakou, CEO, KEFI SA
• Mrs Frosso Zaroulea, Managing Director, Keyway Communications Specialists
• Mrs Tatiana Tzartzou, Travel Designer, Kyvernitis Travel
• Mr Georgios Kyvernitis, Managing Partner, Kyvernitis Travel and Shipping SA
• Mr Cornilios Vintu, Sales Account Manager, Kyvernitis Travel and Shipping SA
• Capt George Mavrogenis, Marine Manager, Latsco Marine Management
• Mrs Nazli Hamitoglu, Marketing Officer, Marmaris Cruise Port, Turkiye
• Mr Deniz Tugay, Port Innovate Operations Manager, Marmaris Cruise Port, Turkiye
• Mr Murat Tugay, Marmaris Port Director, Marmaris Cruise Port, Turkiye
• Mr Demosthenis Vernardakis, General Manager, Master’s Shipping Co.
• Mr Nicky Guerrero, Secretary General, MedCruise
• Mrs Anne-Marie Spinosi, Senior Vice President, MedCruise
• Ms Theodora Riga, President, MedCruise & Corfu Port Authority SA
• Mr Andreas Metaxas, CEO, Metaxas Hospitality
• Mrs Vassiliki Sythiakaki, Director of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Heraklion, Ministry of Culture
• Mr Abdullah Saif Al Saadi, Head of Cruise & Charter Flights, Ministry of Heritage & Tourism
• Mr Khalid Al Azri, Assistant of Director, Ministry of Heritage & Tourism
• Mr Francois Lafond, Balkan Expert, Hellenic Ministry of the Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation
• Mr Manolis Koutoulakis, Secretary General, Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy
• Mrs Anna Karamanli, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ministry of Tourism
• Mr Loukas Sigalas, CEO, Minoan Lines
• Kerry Anastassiadis, Senior Advisor for Institutional and Maritime Affairs, MSC Cruises
• Ms Elisabetta De Nardo, Vice President, Port Development, MSC Cruises
• Mr Gianluca Suprani, Senior Vice President Port Development, MSC Cruises
• Mr Shant Krikorian, Corporate Communication Senior Manager, MSC Cruises
• Mrs Lucy Ellis, CCO, MSC Group
• Mrs Marika Deligianni, Technical Director, Municipal Harbour Treasury of the Southern Dodecanese Region
• Mr Vasilios Vagianakis, President, Municipal Harbour Treasury of the Southern Dodecanese Region
• Mr Emmanouil Menegakis, Mayor, Municipality of Agios Nikolaos
• Mr George Christakis, Mayor for Development, Entrepreneurship, Maritime Affairs & Tourism, Municipality of Chios
• Mr Georgios Agrimanakis, Deputy Mayor of Economics and Tourism, Municipality of Heraklion
• Mrs Despoina Dialyna, Head Officer of the Tourism Department, Municipality of Heraklion
• Mr Alexis Kalokairinos, Mayor, Municipality of Heraklion
• Mr Zacharias Doxastakis, Mayor, Municipality of Hersonissos
• Mr Georgios Athanasakis, Mayor, Municipality of Lasithi Plateau
• Mr Emmanouil Chronakis, Special Advisor to the Mayor, Municipality of Lasithi Plateau
• Mr Emmanouil Perisinakis, Vice Mayor, Municipality of Lasithi Plateau
• Mrs Eugenia Spanaki, President of the City Council, Municipality of Lasithi Plateau
• Mrs Vasiliki Velivasaki, Special Advisor to the Mayor, Municipality of Lasithi Plateau
• Mr Menelaos Bokeas, Mayor, Municipality of Malevizi
• Mrs Chrysanthi Lyroni, Vice Mayor, Municipality of Malevizi
• Mr Tasos Konidaris, Special advisor to the Mayor, Municipality of Thira
• Mr George Vaggelas, Associate Professor, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
• Mrs Olga Bezantakou, VP Legal, Navigator Shipping Consultants
• Mr Andreas Stylianopoulos, President, Navigator Travel LTD
• Mr Stephanos Taioglou, Director Sales, Cruise Dept, Navigator Travel LTD
• Mrs Sandi Weir, Sr. Director, Global Government Affairs, NCLH (Covers NCL, Oceania & Regent Seven Seas)
• Mr Panagiotis Psalidas, Operations Manager, Nestos Piraeus S. Agency
• Mr Aristidis Zias, General Manager, Network Business Solutions

• Mrs Alexandra Charitatou, Member of the BoD, ODAP

• Mrs Stella Chryssoulaki, ODAP
• Mr Pantelis Karamanis, Marketing & Communication Strategy Consultant – Executive Coach, ODAP
• Mrs Angeliki Maragkaki, Head of the Monitoring & Resource Development Department Cultural Production, Sales & Promotion Department, ODAP
• Mrs Despoina Varkadou, ODAP
• Mr Nikolaos Mavrikos, President, Panhellenic Ship Suppliers & Exporters Association
• Mr Panagiotis Anastassopoulos, CEO, Patras Port Authority SA
• Mr Konstantinos Achladitis, Vice President, Piraeus Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Mr Konstantinos Gargaropoulos, Member of PCCI’s Administrative Council, Piraeus Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Mr Vasileios Korkidis, President, Piraeus Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Mr Dimitrios Lemonakis, Member of PCCI’s Working Group for Extroversion, Piraeus Chamber of Commerce & Industry
• Mr Nektarios Demenopoulos, Deputy Manager, PR-IR Department, Piraeus Port Authority SA
• Mrs Chrysanthi Kamoulakou, PR Sector, Piraeus Port Authority SA
• Mr Angelos Karakostas, Deputy CEO, Piraeus Port Authority SA
• Mr Thanasis Karlis, Deputy Manager, Marketing Department, Piraeus Port Authority SA
• Mrs Maria Spyridaki, Legal Department, Piraeus Port Authority SA
• Mr Xu Taoran, Head of the Board Secretariat, Public & Investor Relations, and Human Resources Departments, Piraeus Port Authority SA
• Mr Panagiotis Tsonis, Deputy CEO, Piraeus Port Authority SA
• Mr Su Xudong, CEO, Piraeus Port Authority SA
• Mrs Patritsia Zigou, Manager, Cruise and Ferry Department, Piraeus Port Authority SA
• Mr Atilla Akkaya, Student, Piri Reis University
• Mr Rauf Ali Ates, Student, Piri Reis University
• Mrs Alexandra Tougia, CEO, Plus 10X
• Mr Michele Bosco, Manager, Shore Excursions and Operations, Princess
• Mr Alessandro Carollo, Associate Vice President, Government Relations, RC Group
• Mr Manolis Alevropoulos, Vice President, Marine Operations, Royal Caribbean Group/Celebrity
• Mr Ioannis Anastasakis, Deputy Governor, Climate Change and Urban Mobility, Region Of Crete
• Mr Stavros Arnaoutakis, Governor, Region of Crete
• Mr Kyriakos Kotsoglou, Vice Governor For Tourism, Region Of Crete
• Dr Antonios Papadakis, Public Health Supervisor of the Region of Crete, Region of Crete
• Mr Georgios Pitsoulis, Deputy Regional Governor – Supervisor of Health Sectors and Mobile Units, Region of Crete
• Mr Michael Vamvoukas, Vice Governor, Region of Crete
• Mr Nikolaos Sirigonakis, Vice Governor – Regional Unit of Heraklion, Region of Crete
• Mrs Anastasia Adamopoulou, Vice Governor, Tourism, Region of Thessaly
• Mr Ioannis Anastasiou, Vice Governor, Digital Governance & Citizen Services, Region of Thessaly
• Mr Anastasios Konstantaros, CEO, Rhodes Tourism Promotion Organisation
• Mr Yiannis Rogan, Deputy Managing Director, Rogan Associates
• Dr Christos Solomonidis, Chairman of the BoD, Partner, Rogan Associates
• Mr Athanasios Roussakis, CEO, Roussakis Supplies IKE
• Mr Alastair Clifton, Director of International Communications, Royal Caribbean Group
• Mrs Ana Karina Santini, Associate Vice President, International Destination Development, Royal Caribbean Group
• Mrs Karen Martin, Global Band Ambassador, ShipMoney
• Mrs Roula Zachariou, VP Business Development S. Europe, ShipMoney
• Mr Georgios Baliouskas, B2B Sales & Distribution Director, SKY express
• Mrs Magda Karanikola, Sales Manager, SKY express
• Mr Yiannis Lidakis, Commercial Director, SKY express
• Mr Alexandros Michalopoulos, Key Accounts Project Manager, SKY express
• Mr Nikos Raggos, Sales Executive, SKY express
• Mr Nikos Baltas, Procurement, Support, SmartMarinas
• Mrs Aggeliki Drakou, Office Support, SmartMarinas
• Mr Antonis Kalamakidis, General Manager, SmartMarinas
• Mr Tasos Oikonomidis, Software Development, SmartMarinas
• Mrs Maritina Oikonomidou, Office Support, Smartmarinas
• Mr Maxime David, Senior Advisor – Business Development, SmartSea
• Mr Simon Fotakis, Director, Technology Sales, SmartSea
• Mrs Evangelia Benaki, Financial Employee, Souda Port / Chania
• Mrs Styliani Manioudaki, Director, Souda Port / Chania
• Mrs Olga Mavropoulou, Financial Officer, Souda Port / Chania
• Mr Dimitrios Virirakis, President, Souda Port / Chania
• Mr Alexander Bieniek, Vice President, Marine Operations, Star Clippers
• Mr Akis Konstantinidis, HR Manager, Technomar
• Mr Nikolaos Mouses, Managing Director, Terraco LLC
• Mrs Alexandra Kaoni, Senior Director of Graduate and Online Enrollment, The American College of Greece
• Mr Spiros Almpertis, Vice President, Port and Destination Operations, Guest Port Services, The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
• Mr Angelos Frantzetis, Head of Cruise & Ferry, ThPA SA – Port of Thessaloniki
• Mr Spyros Hambas, CEO, Travelway Tourism & Shipping
• Mr Marcus Puttich, Director, Destinations, Incident Commander, TUI Cruises
• Mrs Georgia Doui, Port Operations Manager, Greece, TUI Hellas/Intercruises Shoreside & Port Services
• Mr Dimitris Bekos, Head Of Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Malta, UAE, TUI Musement
• Mr Henri Brown, Economic Officer, U.S. Department of State
• Mr Thanos Pallis, Professor, Port & Maritime Economics Policy, University Of Piraeus
• Mr Ioannis Perris, Student, University of the Aegean, Department of Shipping, Trade and Transport
• Mrs Georgia Linaraki, Vice Chairwoman, V Group
• Mr George Sarigiannis, Director of Communications & Marketing, V Group
• Mr Filippos Venetopoulos, CEO, Variety Cruises
• Ms Isabelle Cote, International Terminal Operations – Management Consultant, Virgin Voyages
• Mr Sokratis Anagnostou, CEO / General Secretary of Hellenic Ports Association, Volos Port Authority
• Mr John Efstathiou, Cruise Operations Manager, Wilhemsen Port Services
• Mr Christos Makrialeas, Head of Cruise Sector, Wilhemsen Port Services
• Mrs Stamatia Giasirani, Executive Director, WIMA – Worldwide Industrial & Marine Association
• Mr Elias Hajiefremidis, President, WIMA – Worldwide Industrial & Marine Association
• Mr George Xiradakis, Founder, XRTC
• Capt Stelios Sarafoglou, Board Of Directors / Captain Class A, Yacht Masters Club
• Ms Danae Bezantakou, Founder, YES Forum
• Mr Kyriakos Saridis, Sales Manager, Zacharioudakis G Inc
• Mrs Maria Zacharioudaki, CEO, Zacharioudakis G Inc

updated as of 5 May 2025