THESSALONIKI – With Greece expecting a big surge in cruise ships carrying treasured tourists this summer, the 7th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum will meet – not in Athens, but Greece’s second-largest port and city, Thessaloniki.

The April 25-26 event will come a few weeks after the Athens-Thessaloniki railway will begin operation again after being shut down since a Feb. 28 head-on collision on the the line killed 57 people.

The forum will bring together top executives and industry leaders from the international cruise sector to talk about their challenges and need for new destinations as the COVID-19 pandemic fades, said Travel Daily News and GTP Headlines.

https://news.gtp.gr/2023/03/14/cruise-industry-leaders-to-converge-at-7th-posidonia-sea-tourism-forum-in-thessaloniki/

The forum is set to feature a high-profile line-up of speakers and the keynote speech will be delivered by Pierfrancesco Vago, CLIA Global Chair and Executive Chairman of MSC Cruises, the site said.

Wybcke Meier, CEO of TUI Cruises who will be there said that, “Cruising is a sustainable mode of travel, and together with the ports and destinations, we will continue to develop while taking everyone’s interests into account – through integrated planning and better management of guest flows.”

Chris Theophilides, Celestyal Cruises CEO said that, “We are delighted to participate in this year’s Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, particularly as it takes place in our homeport of Thessaloniki, an up-and-coming city that has plenty to offer visitors in the way of history, culture and unrivalled gastronomy. As Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean are our home, we look forward to constructive dialogue between the authorities and cruise companies to ensure sustainable development within the area which will benefit both the national and the local economy.”