The first Cultural Tourism Symposium will take place in Heraklion on December 16, 2025, at the Karelli Hall at 7.30pm. The Symposium aims to highlight the importance of storytelling as a cultural experience, to encourage synergies between tourism and culture and to examine the new European policy around culture-based tourism.
The event is co-organized by the Region of Crete and is under the auspices and support of: Pancretan Association of Hotel Managers • Hellenic Association of Women in Culture and Tourism • Heraklion Hoteliers Association • “Filoxenia” Experience Crete • Crete-Santorini Tour Guides Association • UNESCO Group of Piraeus & Islands • International Action Art • K.A.
With the Support of the Deputy Mayor’s Office for Volunteering of the Municipality of Heraklion.
Students from the Mediterranean University also participate in the event.
1st Cultural Tourism Symposium with introductory theme: “Exploring the Future of Cultural Tourism in Greece”
The 1st Symposium aims to:
- To highlight Crete as a place where the concept of hospitality (filoxenia) acquires cultural and experiential content.
- To encourage cooperation between hotel operators, creators and local cultural organizations, etc. so that Crete can become a model for implementing the new “culture-based tourism” model.
- To discuss the new European guidelines for the strengthening of cultural tourism (as formulated by the EU and the European Travel Commission), which prioritize authentic experiences, local identity and sustainable development.
Day Content
- Premiere of the musical theater narrative Greek Spirit Stories: Who is the Hero?
A short story inspired by the wisdom of mythology, but directly connected to modern man. (Askomandoura, flute, percussion, guitar, synthesizer and a narrator. The work is in English, with subtitles.) Script/Narration: Nia Foes
- Panel discussion with distinguished discussants from the fields of culture, tourism and entrepreneurship. (To be announced in a second update)
Free admission
Organization: NIA8
Production: make music memories, praxis
Source: cretalive.gr