Rethymno Tourism Summit 2026 opens registration, with Hatzidakis and Kefalogianni among speakers
Registration has opened for the Rethymno Tourism Summit 2026, titled “Next Destination, Crete,” which the Greek National Tourism Organisation (EOT) and the communications firm Ef’ Olis are co-organising. The conference is scheduled for Monday, October 26, 2026, starting at 9:30 a.m., at the Theartemis Palace Conference Center in Rethymno.
Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis will deliver the opening address, according to the organisers. Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni is set to present the government’s strategy for Greece’s position on the international tourism map. Also taking part are the Secretary General of EOT, Andreas Fiorentinos, the Governor of the Region of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis, and the Mayor of Rethymno, Giorgis Marinakis. The event will be broadcast live on GOODnet.
Crete’s tourism outlook for the next decade
Organisers describe Cretan tourism as entering a period of change, pointing to the new airport under construction at Kasteli and the Northern Road Axis of Crete as factors reshaping travel patterns on the island, alongside investment in higher-end hotel units. The summit’s stated aim is to give Rethymno a forum to discuss its identity and position itself as a model for sustainable, quality hospitality in the Mediterranean, with sessions addressing capacity management, digital transformation and workforce training.
Opening speech and minister’s interview
After Hatzidakis’s opening remarks, Kefalogianni will be interviewed on the theme “Greece’s repositioning on the global tourism map: regulatory framework, specialisation and the next steps,” according to the programme. The interview will be conducted by journalist Nikitas Koronakis, coordination head at MEGA News.
Panel on Crete as a global tourism brand
The first panel, “Crete: from top destination to global tourism brand,” brings together national, regional and local government representatives, including Fiorentinos, Arnaoutakis and Marinakis, who also chairs the Peloponnese-Crete-Island network organisation. The session is set to focus on coordinated promotion of the island abroad and will be moderated by Giannis Kalaitzakis, publisher of Kritiki Epitheorisi.
Infrastructure and development
A panel titled “Infrastructure and Tourism: Crete facing the challenge of what comes next” will examine investment, major infrastructure projects and spatial planning. Scheduled participants include Alexandros Michailidis, deputy managing director and technical director of TERNA S.A.; Georgios Giakoumakis, president of the Regional Chamber Council of Crete and the Rethymno Chamber; Georgia Manolitsi, head of the prefectural committee of the Technical Chamber of Greece; and Nikolaos Koumnas, president of the Rethymno Hoteliers Association. Journalist Lefteris Kourkoulos, of Nea Tileorasi Kritis, will moderate. TERNA, which is building the new Kasteli airport and the Northern Road Axis, is the summit’s main sponsor.
Education and workforce
A panel titled “From university to the market: knowledge as a force in Cretan tourism” will discuss how education, research and links to the labour market can meet the industry’s needs. Speakers are expected to include Nektarios Papadogiannis, rector of the Hellenic Mediterranean University; Georgios Stamatopoulos, vice-rector for finance and infrastructure; and Despoina Gavrili-Alexandri, lecturer and coordinator of the International Tourism and Hospitality Management programme at the American College of Greece. Antigoni Andreaki, communications director of the Karatzis Group, will moderate.
Technology and premium experiences
A further session, “How new technologies change the experience and the destination,” will look at how digital tools for bookings, energy savings and sustainability certification are reshaping the sector, alongside newer hospitality models such as high-end villas. Panellists are expected to include Konstantinos Vasilakis, founder and CEO of etouri; Spyros Kalisperakis, CEO of Anysma; and Antonis Voulgarelis, co-founder of HOTsoft, moderated by Angeliki Kallergi, editor-in-chief of Kritiki Epitheorisi. Those planning a visit can browse experiences in Crete shaped by the kind of hospitality innovation the panel is expected to address.
Entrepreneurship in tourism
The programme concludes with a panel titled “Doing business in Crete’s tourism: experiences, challenges and prospects,” featuring representatives from gastronomy, design and local government. Speakers are expected to include Alexandra Theochari-Krevatsouli, founder of KLOTHO; Eirini Koutsaledaki, civil engineer and co-owner of Domisi Group; and Katerina Xekalou, owner of the restaurant AVLI, moderated by Michalis Hasikos, owner of the restaurant HASIKA. The discussion is expected to cover seasonality, costs and staffing, issues that also shape places to stay in Crete during peak season.
Organisers, sponsors and registration
The summit is held under the auspices of the Municipality of Rethymno, the Rethymno Chamber of Commerce, the University of Crete and the Hellenic Mediterranean University, with support from the Region of Crete and the Regional Development Fund of Crete. TERNA is the main sponsor, the American College of Greece is the gold sponsor and etouri is the silver sponsor. Bronze sponsors are the Theartemis Palace Conference Center, Anysma and hotsoft, while Kritiki Epitheorisi, GOODnet and TeamFM 102 are media sponsors.
Organisers say the conference is aimed at hoteliers, hospitality professionals, tourism and catering businesses, local government and public sector officials, investors, technology providers, academics and Cretan producers. Attendance is free but requires registration through an online form on the Ef’ Olis website, as seating is limited. The sessions will be streamed live on GOODnet. Readers can also check the wider events in Crete calendar for other dates tied to the island’s tourism season.
