The Forum on tourism management education in Greece was an unqualified success both in terms of participation as well as content. The Forum, under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism Development, the Greek National Tourism Organization and the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, was organized by the Initiative Committee for the Promotion of Greece as a Destination for Hospitality & Tourism Education at Electra Palace Hotel in Athens.

“The initiative of this Committee carries special importance in that the quality of Greek tourism is directly related to education and training”, stated Mr. Aris Spiliotopoulos, Minister of Tourism Development.

“Such initiatives” continued the Minister, “which promote university level education as an essential element for improving the competitiveness of Greek tourism and Greece as a destination for hospitality and tourism management education, greatly contribute to the achievement of our objectives”. Mr. Spiliotopoulos pledged continuing support of his Ministry to the efforts of the Initiative Committee towards the tourism development of Greece.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, Mr. Gerassimos Fokas, observed that "neither the public sector nor the entrepreneurial community has fully comprehended and appreciated the relationship of education and training to quality in tourism” and added: “There are welcome exceptions in the form of structures and individuals who work hard at earning the recognition that Greece is a worthwhile global tourism and hospitality education destination. These are the people who comprise the Initiative Committee. The most positive element of this initiative is that it represents, as has from the outset, an alliance between the public and private sectors”, concluded Mr. Fokas.

TRINITY’s President Mr. Nikos Skoulas, speaking on behalf of the Founding Members, outlined the Committee’s objectives, as follows:

• to propagate the reality of modern Greece as one of the world’s top hospitality and tourism destinations;
• to raise awareness of the importance of higher education in hospitality and tourism in order to provide the thriving industry with highly qualified young men and women who will take it to new heights;
• to encourage local students to benefit from the world class education offered both by the private and public sector in Greece; and
• to promote Greece as a destination for hospitality and tourism education, attracting students from many countries and contributing to a growth in tourism.

A number of subjects related to tourism education were developed, presented and discussed with the audience by a number of distinguished educators and professionals. Among them:

Mr. Georgios Drakopoulos, General Manager, SETE – Association of Greek Tourist Enterprises on “Education as a tourism product”

Dr. Paris Tsartas, Professor of Tourism Development, Director of the Post-graduate Programme on Tourism, University of the Aegean on “The role of a public university in the internationalization of tourism studies: the case of the University of Aegean”

Dr. Perikles Lytras, Professor of Tourism Enterprises, TEI – Technological Educational Institute, Athens, and Visiting Professor, Athens University of Economics on “The role of TEI in higher education in the Tourism Industry”

Ms Sybil Hofmann, President, Alpine Center, the Swiss Business School for Hospitality & Tourism Education in Greece, on “Career opportunities in the global hospitality and tourism industry”

Dr. Stergios L. Mourgos, Professor of Business Administration, Vice President & Chief Academic Officer, TRINITY International School of Tourism Management on “The urgent need for talent in the tourism industry” and

Dr. Georgios Papageorgiou, Academic Dean, Alpine Center, the Swiss Business School for Hotel & Tourism Management Education in Greece, on “The need for life-long learning in the Greek hospitality and tourism industry”

The Forum was attended by Members of Parliament, other political personalities and leaders of the entrepreneurial and professional communities, journalists, as well as other opinion makers who participated in the intense discussion, expressing their support for higher level tourism education and contributing ideas and proposals.

The Forum became possible thanks to the sponsorship of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels and the Electra Hotel Chain, while the Communication Sponsors were:  Greek Travel Pages (GTP), Travel Daily News and Pathfinder.

The Committee announced that, during the next several days and weeks, it will initiate a process of expansion by inviting other educational institutions to join, based on qualitative criteria.  As well, the Committee will intensify its activities for promoting Greece as a global destination for hospitality and tourism management education.