Thassos Tourism Organisation event on cooperation and participation in the tourism development of the island
On Friday 17 October 2025, at the Kalogeriko Events Hall, the Thassos Tourism Organisation held an event dedicated to cooperation, participation and dialogue on the future of tourism in Thassos. The initiative forms part of the Organisation's activities to chart a shared strategy for sustainable tourism development, with the active participation of all the island's bodies, professionals and residents.
During the event, the Participation and Cooperation Platform of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace was presented by the Deputy Regional Governor for Tourism, Mr Panagiotis Archontis, and the Technical Advisor of the Region, Mr Iosif Parsalis. The speakers analysed the opportunities offered by this new tool for exchanging ideas, networking and jointly planning activities. This was followed by the presentation of the Thassos Residents' Survey, carried out in cooperation with UN Tourism and ICF, an affiliate member of the Organisation. The findings were presented by Mr Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, Head of Tourism at ICF and Project Representative of UN Tourism, who stressed the importance of the active participation of the local community and the need for a balance between tourism development and the preservation of the island's identity.
The event concluded with an open discussion in which representatives of local bodies, professionals and residents of Thassos took part, putting forward proposals and views on shaping a shared vision for the future of the island. In her opening address, the Vice-President of the Thassos Tourism Organisation, Ms Lamprini Foka, underlined: “Thassos can become a model island where development goes hand in hand with respect, cooperation and participation. The secret of success is the cooperation of all the forces of our community.”
In the greeting he sent, Mr Patrick Fritz, Technical Coordinator of UN Tourism, stressed: “We are promoting the work that has been carried out on the island of Thassos, because the interaction achieved between residents, visitors and stakeholders at local, regional, national and international level serves as a blueprint for the future.
Only if we agree on a common course of action will we be able to build a tourism sector that respects the interests and needs of all those involved.”
Mr Gkolfinopoulos noted: “Participatory governance in tourism requires bold, steady and strategic steps. The residents of Thassos have spoken: they have set out their priorities for the future, expressed concerns and assessed the present. Thassos is creating tourism intelligence for social sustainability.”
The Thassos Tourism Organisation remains the coordinating body for all initiatives concerning tourism on the island, with the aim of promoting a unified, modern and sustainable tourism identity for Thassos.
