Dr. Senthil Gopinath, CEO of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), spoke about Greece’s prospects for becoming a leading destination for conference tourism while participating in a panel discussion titled “Maximizing the Value of Real Estate: Creating Destinations for Greek Tourism,” as part of Growthfund’s Investor Summit 2026.
As he emphasized, the country possesses unique comparative advantages. “Greece’s strong brand, culture, and gastronomy are significant competitive advantages that can help attract more international events,” he added, emphasizing the need for major investments that capitalize on Greece’s unique position in terms of branding.
Senthil Gopinath placed particular emphasis on the sectors in which the country should invest in order to attract mid-sized conferences, which account for approximately 70% of all international events. According to him, expertise, human capital, and appropriate infrastructure are key factors, and he noted that Greece already offers a high level of service. The challenge, however, is to effectively communicate these advantages to the international market.
He also pointed out that the academic community can play a substantial role in boosting conference tourism, while the public sector could create a “one-stop shop” for organizations choosing Greece to host conferences. She cited the signing of an agreement between the Superfund and the ICCA as a significant achievement, noting that it creates the ecosystem needed to attract conference events.
Iro Hatzigeorgiou, CEO of the Hellenic Public Properties Company (ETAD), also emphasized the need to create a comprehensive ecosystem for conference tourism.
She cited two flagship projects as prime examples. The first concerns the Indoor Tae Kwon Do Arena, where, through ETAD’s collaboration with the Region of Attica, infrastructure upgrades were promoted and a new identity for the property was developed, with the aim of transforming it into a destination for conferences and events. The second example is the Government House of Thessaloniki, for which ETAD is collaborating with the Hellenic Parliament to convert it into a conference center.
In presenting ETAD’s strategy for landmark properties of particular historical and cultural significance, Hatzigeorgiou explained that the company has adopted a different philosophy for approaching the market. As she clarified, ETAD examines the “DNA” of each property in order to identify its development potential and the activities that can be developed around it.
A prime example is the thermal springs of Kaiafa and Methana, as each spring has different characteristics and, consequently, requires a tailored approach to better prepare the investment proposal. Finally, she emphasized the importance of involving all stakeholders in the development process to clarify how each party can benefit from the development of these specific assets.
Alexander Zinell, CEO of Fraport Greece, Alexander Zinell, CEO of Fraport Greece, noted, adding that the company continues to invest 50 million annually in maintenance and an additional 50 million to expand capacity. Passenger traffic, Alexander Zinell emphasized, has recorded an increase of 48%, from 25 million passengers to approximately 38 million passengers this year.
“By the end of the concession, we will likely have served over 1 billion passengers,” added Alexander Zinell, most of whom will be served by airports on small islands. He also mentioned job creation, noting that approximately 14,000 people currently work at Fraport’s airports. Looking ahead, the CEO of Fraport Greece emphasized the need to strike a balance between public and private investment.
The discussion was moderated by Vasilis Antoniadis, CEO and senior partner at the Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
The panel was introduced by Stefanos Theodoridis, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Superfund, who highlighted Greece’s unique strategic advantages, which combine natural beauty, cultural heritage, a strategic geographic location, and hospitable people, as well as the next stage of development for Greek tourism.
Greece has a strong foundation; it is one of the most important destinations in Europe and the world and attracts approximately 2 to 2.5% of global tourism, as he emphasized.
“As the Superfund,” noted Stefanos Theodoridis, “we hold, either directly or through our subsidiaries, a diverse portfolio of assets that have the potential to shape new competitive destinations. The challenge,” he added, “is how we can transform these assets into destinations, attracting long-term and sustainable investments and ensuring a return of value to local communities.”