The congress
A tourist is a temporarily leisured person who voluntarily visits a place away from home for the purpose of experiencing a change.
Hosts and guests, The anthropology of tourism
Travelers suspend their usual life patterns for the sake of valuable time usage. Unwilling to be limited by their tastes in food, art, or usual entertainment, they experiment. For the whole meaning of travel is to escape the boundaries of everyday life.
In this context, authenticity and constructed environments alternate to form the “experience” and the “atmosphere.” Travelers approach the different, entrepreneurs seek the right idea, the local community inspires, and architects design.
In 2023, the number of visitors increased by 11.5% compared to the previous year. This rise pushed tourism revenue to an all-time high of approximately 21 billion euros. In 2024, tourist arrivals increased by 16% and revenue growth reached 27.1% (Ministry of Tourism data, first quarter).
Tourism, one of the largest industries in the world, is valued for its economic benefits. In countries like Greece, it inevitably becomes a means of mutual—though not balanced—cultural exchange: travelers seek the experience of the different and simultaneously bring about profound cultural change to the places they visit.
People and architecture
The ephemeral nature of travelers’ stays makes it difficult for them to connect with the place, the people, the concepts, and the societal habits. At the same time, they exert a transformative influence.
Can architecture bring balance? Architecture reflects and inspires the values of both the economy and society. The challenge of evoking clear, tangible emotions can emerge from the essence of architectural beauty, through the careful arrangement of materials and the atmosphere of sound—as Peter Zumthor supports. Can the design approach promote meaningful interactions, encouraging multisensory and heartfelt emotions? Can architecture foster connections not only with the space but also with people, and if so, to what depth and with what outcomes?
Entrepreneurship and Architecture
With the rise of tourism, hospitality brands compete for travelers’
preference and for the most attractive B2B deals. There is also competition among destinations—from the Mediterranean basin to the life-sized artificial environments of “Santorini” and “Hallstatt” in China. In Greece, investment activity is more intense than ever, with typologies that tend to create a style and tactile qualities that gradually narrate their common logic. What role does architecture play in shaping a product, a brand, and a narrative that collectively represents the country’s development philosophy? Can it contribute to the exportability of strong local brands?
ON THE STAGE OF HOTEL EXPERIENCE
- Representative of the European Commission
- Michael Braungart Founder Cradle to Cradle
- Villy Fotopoulou, Ministry of Culture, Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Ivi Nanopoulou, Director, TPA Architects, founding member, and president of MedINA
- Sustainable Cyclades Representative
- Villy Fotopoulou, Ministry of Culture, Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage
- Ivi Nanopoulou, Director, TPA Architects, founding member, and president of MedINA
- Sustainable Cyclades Representative
- Kostas Paschalidis, CEO, Hotel Brain
- Rigas Zafeiriou, MedINA
- Melita Skamnaki, Co Founder Double Decker
- Wilhelm Finger, Co Founder Double Decker
- Christoff Hoffmann, Founder, 25Hours Hotel
- Melita Skamnaki, Co Founder Double Decker
- Wilhelm Finger, Co Founder Double Decker
- Giorgos Christoglou & Lia Karampataki, Hyper Tria
- Eleanna Makridou, Principal Makridis Associates
- Anestis Gourgiotis, Associate Professor, Spatial Planning
- Giorgos Mitroulias, Founder AREA Architecture Research Athens & Associate Professor at University of Thessaly, Department of Architecture
- Konstantinos Zikos, Vice President GNTO, BoD at Hotel Brain, Counselor to the Minister of Tourism
- Michael Mavroleon, CEO & Founder at A&M Group
- Emmanuell Vordonis, Chairman Spetses Initiative S.A., Poseidonion Grand Hotel
- Barbara Avdis, Founder and Managing Director of Yades Greek Historic Hotels, Vice Chairman of the Historic Hotels of Europe.
- Niki Andreadi, NIMAND Architects
- Christos Passas, Director Zaha Hadid Architects
- Maria Vafiadis, Founder MKV Design
- Aurelie Schwend, Director of Interior Design, Luxury at Marriott International
- Nikos Karaflos, Hotelier, Owner of Dexamenes
- Stratis Batagias, Hotelier, Owner of Manna
- Giannis Mpelonias, Hotelier, Owner of Vora
- Anastasia Sgoumpopoulou, Owner of Perianth
- Maria Tsaftari, Partner & Design Director Urban Soul Project (The case study of Ergon House & Ergon BakeHouse)
- Block 722
- Vangelis Bonios, for Odera, Tinos
- Irini Giotopoulou, DNE Architects
- Maria Papafigou, OOAK Architects
- Sotiris Tsergas (Block 722)
- Anestis Anestis, Owner of Melian Hotel
- Maria Chloe Laskaridis, Chairperson, Lampsa Hellenic Hotels
- Elsa Exarhou, 1700 Mikro Papiggo
- Adam Tihany, Hospitality Designer (NYC)
- Melita Skamnaki, Co-founder Double Decker
- Wilhelm Finger, Co-founder Double Decker
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- Kent Richards, Corporate Director of Operations, Six Senses Spas
- Andrew Gibson, Global consultant ex Fairmont, ACCOR, Mandarin
- Alexandros Angelopoulos, CEO Aldemar Hotels
- Ria Vogiatzi, Founder Elastic Architects
- Giannis Markogiannis, Attorney at Law – Investor
- Dimitris Daios, Member of the Board Daios S.A.
- · Grivalia Natalia Strafti, Deputy CEO Grivallia
- Konstantinos Chadios, Chadios Architects
- George Spanos, Domes Resort
- Stathis Tryfonopoulos, Diarchon
- George Tsolakis, Tsolakis Architects
- Agapi Sbokou, Blue Palace & Rosewood & Vana Pernari
- Kalia Konstantinidou, Empiria Group & Mara Papavasileiou Micromega
- TBA Afroditi Bonatsou, Founder Stones and Walls
- John Chouliaras, Orias Guesthouse and Farm & Trekking Hellas Achaea
- George Nanos, Outline Adventures
- To be announced
- Manolis Papoutsakis, Chef
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- Lefteris Lazarou, Chef
- Περικλής Κοσκινάς, Chef, Restaurater
- Aris Vezenes, Chef
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- Apostolos Trastelis, Restaurateur
- Nikos Daditsios, Director Panas Group
- Ourania Pikramenou, Deplot Architects
- Sotiris Anifantis, A2 Architects
- Aude Mazelin, Mykonos Architects
- Katerina Karagianni, KKMK Architects
- Alexandra Daliani, Creative Architects
θεμα
Οι ρίζες του βρίσκονται σε ένα κείμενο Λατινικής λογοτεχνίας
ημερα / ωρα
Σάββατο 05 Οκτωβρίου
15:00-15:45
moderator
Δανάη Μακρή
ομιλητΕσ
Tsolakis and Partners
Tsolakis and Partners
Tsolakis and Partners
Tsolakis and Partners