A working meeting organized in Athens by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), in collaboration with Deputy Foreign Minister Haris Theocharis, focused on the strategy for developing new cruise tourism destinations in Greece, with emphasis on island communities, port infrastructure, and the more effective use of revenues generated by the cruise levy.

The meeting brought together representatives of the Greek government, parliament, port and tourism authorities, as well as executives from Celestyal and MSC Cruises, with the overarching goal of shaping a more balanced model for cruise tourism development across the country.

At the heart of the discussions was the urgent need to ease pressure on overcrowded destinations and bring new cruise ports in island and mainland regions into the spotlight, through better planning, targeted investment, and closer coordination between the state, local communities, and cruise companies.

CLIA proposed the creation of a comprehensive “Cruise Development Guide,” accompanied by a dedicated checklist, giving emerging destinations a practical strategic planning tool covering infrastructure needs, partnerships, and tourism management.

Special emphasis was also placed on channeling revenues from the cruise levy toward port infrastructure projects, destination promotion initiatives, and improved services for both passengers and local communities.

Deputy Foreign Minister Haris Theocharis stated: “Cruise tourism is one of the most dynamic sectors of maritime tourism, making a meaningful contribution to local and regional economies, job creation, and positioning Greece as an international tourism destination. Our goal is not simply to grow cruise activity, but to maximize the value it delivers — more benefits for the Greek economy, an enhanced visitor experience, and genuine support for local communities. Greece is pursuing a cruise model that leaves a strong footprint on land — boosting hotels, restaurants, transportation, culture, local supply chains, and employment — while contributing positively to both the economy and infrastructure improvement.”

Maria Deligianni, CLIA’s Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, commented: “We are pleased to continue our dialogue with the Greek government on shaping an effective cruise strategy. Our discussions highlighted the strategic importance and untapped potential of Greece’s emerging cruise destinations. Redistributing traffic toward rising ports will help generate economic benefits across more mainland and island destinations, while preserving the carrying capacity of the most popular ones. In this context, we stressed the importance of conducting a dedicated study to assess the needs of emerging cruise destinations, as well as the importance of coordination to prioritize projects to be funded through cruise levy revenues.”

She added: “For the future of cruising in Greece, we emphasized that predictability and consistent communication are vital for cruise companies’ planning.”

Key Discussion Points

The meeting centered on the following priorities:

• Sustainable cruise tourism development in emerging destinations with balanced growth dynamics, ensuring a wider distribution of economic benefits.
• Coordination of all stakeholders within the cruise ecosystem.
• The need for local dialogues with cruise ports, a process CLIA has already launched in 10 destinations through direct collaboration with municipalities and port authorities.
• Creation of a Cruise Development Guide with an accompanying checklist for the strategic development of emerging destinations. The guide will help these destinations build the necessary infrastructure, forge effective partnerships, and undertake the long-term planning required to successfully enter and grow in the sector.
• Strengthening Greece as a homeporting destination, highlighting the associated economic benefits.
• Effective use of cruise levy revenues, with shared emphasis on sustainable and balanced tourism development across Greek islands. To properly assess needs and prioritize investments, CLIA stressed the importance of close coordination with the industry at both national and local levels — involving the Ministries of Maritime Affairs and Island Policy and Tourism, municipalities, port authorities, and local communities.
• Participants at the meeting included representatives from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Island Policy, among them Evangelos Kyriazopulos, Secretary-General for Shipping and Ports, Manolis Koutoulakis, Secretary-General for the Aegean and Island Policy, and Ilektra Papazachou, Legal Advisor to the Minister of Tourism’s Private Office, with the support of members of the Hellenic Parliament.