Senior officials from major international cruise companies will meet in Athens in May for the 3rd Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum to engage with government officials, network and do business with representatives of the Eastern Mediterranean’s port authorities, cruise ship suppliers and other industry players.
Scheduled to be held at the Greek capital’s Megaron Athens International Conference Centre on May 26-27, the forum will also welcome leading players from the yachting sector, including association representatives from MYBA and ICOMIA, as well as yacht charterers and marina developers and managers.
In total, some 800 professionals of the sea tourism sectors with a keen interest in the Eastern Mediterranean will table and debate issues of significant importance to the future of an industry that contributes well in excess of €39.4 billion and 339,000 jobs to Europe’s economy, a figure that does not incorporate revenues generated by yachting activity.
Highly topical issues including growth potential for the cruise industry in Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean, projected increase of regional deployment for 2016 and current barriers to growth of both cruise transit calls and homeporting in Greece are among those to be discussed during the Executive Committee Meeting of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which will take place on day two of the Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum.
“CLIA Europe's decision to select our forum for this important meeting highlights the long way we have travelled since launching Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum in 2011,” said Theodore Vokos, Executive Director of Posidonia Exhibitions S.A. the event’s organisers. “The caliber of the participating brands and the reputation of our speakers have made this event an eagerly anticipated biennial occasion for the international cruising and yachting communities of professionals who clearly see the untapped growth potential in our region.”
Speakers include:
Cruise Line participants
Pierfrancesco Vago, Chairman, CLIA Europe & Executive Chairman, MSC Cruises
Larry Pimentel, President & CEO, Azamara Club Cruises
Edie Rodriguez, President & COO, Crystal Cruises
Kyriakos Anastassiadis, CEO, Celestyal Cruises
John F. Tercek, Vice President, Commercial and New Business Development, Royal Caribbean International & Celebrity Cruises
Michel Nestour, Vice President Global Port & Destination Development-EuroMed, Carnival Corporation
Adam Sharp, Head of Port Operations & Guest Port Services - UK, N. Europe & M. East, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.
Darius Mehta, Vice President Air & Land Programs, Silversea Cruises
Andra Howie, Manager, Shore Excursions, Princess, Holland America, Seabourn
Port representatives
Carla Salvado, President, MedCruise & Marketing and Cruise Director, Port of Barcelona
Saygin Narin, CEO, Global Ports Holding
Roberto Perocchio, Managing Director, Venezia Terminal Passengeri SpA
George Anomeritis, President, Greek Ports Association & Chairman & Managing Director, Piraeus Port Authority
Stavros Hatzakos, President, Cruise and Ferry Port Network & General Manager, Piraeus Port Authority
Costas Moutzouris, President, Regulatory Authority for Ports, Greece
Ioannis Bras, Chairman & Managing Director, Heraklion Port Authority
Association & Industry Representatives
Andreas Andreadis, President, Greek Tourism Confederation
Michalis Sakelis, President, Association of Passenger Shipping Companies
Theodore Kontes, President , Union of Cruise Shipowners and Associated Members
George Vernicos, Secretary General, Greek Tourism Confederation
Andreas Stylianopoulos, President & CEO, Navigator Travel and Tourist Services & Member of the Board, Greek Tourism Confederation
Yachting and Marina representatives
Jonathan Beckett, Chief Executive, Burgess Yachts
Mick Bettesworth, Principal, Mick Bettesworth Marina Consultants Ltd
Rosemary Pavlatou, Director, A1 Yacht Trade Consortium & BWA Yachting & Member of MYBA
Roberto Perocchio, President, Assomarinas
Kemal Saatcioglu, CEO, D-Marin Marinas Group of Dogus Holding
Oscar Siches, Partner and Manager, Amarres Deportivos SL, Marina Consultant (Marina Matters SL)
Thierry Voisin, Chairman, Thierry Voisin – Partnership
Michael Wyer, Captain, Gladius Yacht
Stavros Katsikadis, Managing Director, LAMDA Flisvos Marina & President, Greek Marinas Association
Stefanos Machrymichalos, Partner, Cape4Yachting
F&B Cruise Ship Supply Workshop
Emanuele Lavarello, Procurement Director, MSC Italcatering SpA
Michael Nomicos, President, Donomis Cruise Services
Emanuel Schwarzwald, Cruise and Sales Manager, PUERTO Y BAHIA
Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum’s Exhibition is also the ideal platform for port destinations, port authorities, prefectures, chambers of commerce, airports, airlines, tourist services providers and marinas to showcase their offering to an influential audience of important decision makers from the international cruise industry.
Also, some of the region’s local exporters of quality F&B products, processing manufacturers, wineries and gastronomic product specialists will participate in the scheduled European F&B Cruise Ship Supply Industry Workshop along with delegates and exhibitors to network with representatives from the Cruise Procurement and Supply sector.
The 3rd Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum is organised under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism, the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports (MEDCRUISE), the Hellenic Ports’ Association (ELIME), the Greek Marinas’ Association, the Association of Passenger Shipping Companies, the Union of Greek Ship Owners & Associated Members and the Hellenic Association of Travel & Tourism Agencies.
Gold Sponsors are the Greek Tourism Organisation and the Piraeus Port Authority, Silver Sponsors are Air France – KLM - Delta and Bronze Sponsor is Celestyal Cruises.
