INTERNATIONAL STAKEHOLDERS CONFERENCE

Co-organised by the CPMR the Region of and the Municipality of Hersonissos, , Crete -

“Sustainable Tourism as a Pillar of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)” hosted by the Municipality of Hersonissos (Heraklion, Crete – GR)

Meeting venue: Aldemar Royal Hotel L. Hersonissos, 70014 Hersonissos (Heraklion - Crete, GREECE)

AGENDA Updated 10 June 2015

Thursday, 11 June 2015

08.30 – 17.30

Working languages: Greek, English, Italian

supported by the REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT FUND OF CRETE

“Sustainable Tourism as a Pillar of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)” International Stakeholders Conference co-organised by the CPMR and the Region of Crete - p.1 08.30-09.00: Registration

09.00-10.15 Opening Session

Moderated by Georgios Alexakis, Regional Councillor of Crete, Greece, in charge of European and International Affairs and Vice-President of the CPMR

- Video address by H.E. Corina Creţu, European Commissioner for Regional Policy

- Welcoming address by , Regional Governor of Crete, Greece

- Video address by H.E. Karmenu Vella, European Commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries

- Welcoming address by Ioannis Mastorakis, Mayor of Hersonissos, Greece

Short film “The island inside you” (Gold Tourism Awards)

Invited Speaker:

- Eftyhios Vasilakis, Vice-President of AEGEAN Airlines

10.15-11.30 Session 1: Sustainable and responsible tourism model. A macro-regional approach

Moderated by Eleni Marianou, CPMR Secretary General

Video address by Ivan Jakovcic, Member of the European Parliament and rapporteur on the EUSAIR

- Andrea Mairate, Head of Unit, Competence Centre Macro-regions and European Territorial Cooperation, Transnational and Interregional Cooperation, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, European Commission

- “Tourism development through opportunities within the current ESI funds” by Ioannis Firbas, General Director of the National Coordinating Unit for NSRF, Directorate-General for Public Investments - NSRF, Ministry for Economy, Infrastructures, Shipping and Tourism, Greece

- “Tourism seasonality in the Region. Consequences and ways of dealing with it”, by Theodoros Galiatsatos, Regional Governor of the Ionian Islands, Greece

- Presentation by , Regional Governor of , Greece, and 1st Vice-President of the CPMR Balkan & Black Sea Regional Commission

- “Seasonality in sustainable tourism through the EUSAIR”, by Blanka Belosevic, Head of department for International Cooperation, National Focal Point for UNWTO, and co-ordinator of EUSAIR pillar IV “sustainable tourism”, Ministry of Tourism of Croatia

- Presentation by Konstantinos Nikoloutsos, President of the Ileia Chamber of Commerce, Greece, Forum of the Adriatic and Ionian Chambers of Commerce

Debate

“Sustainable Tourism as a Pillar of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)” International Stakeholders Conference co-organised by the CPMR and the Region of Crete - p.2 11.30-12.00 Coffee break

12.00- 13.00 Session 2: Tourism Policy in Europe

Moderated by Georgios Alexakis, Regional Councillor of Crete, Greece, in charge of European and International Affairs and Vice-President of the CPMR

- “State of play of the Strategy and tackling seasonality through Pillar IV, financial instruments. Local communities, private and public partners and the EUSAIR”, by Joanna Mouliou Niessler, Programme Manager - EU policies - Programmes, Projects, Actions & Funds, Competence Centre Macro-regions and European Territorial Cooperation - Transnational and Interregional Cooperation, Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy (EUSAIR team), European Commission

- “The EU Strategy for coastal and maritime tourism and financial instruments against seasonality”, by Cinzia De Marzo, Policy Officer, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, European Commission

- “Introduction to the EUSAIR: a National Coordinator’s point of view”, by Vassilios Tselios, EUSAIR National Coordinator, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Greece

- “The tourism dimension through the Smart Specialisation Strategy. The example of Crete”, by Maria Kasotaki, Head of the Managing Authority, Regional Operational Programme of Crete, Greece

Debate 13.00- 14.00 Lunch on site (Venue Hall)

14.00-15.15 Session 3: Alleviating seasonality through Smart Thematic Routes and fostering accessibility. Examples of best practices

Moderated by Giuseppe Sciacca, Senior Policy Officer at the CPMR

- “How Catalonia (Barcelona) managed to increase tourism”, by Jordi Secall, Marketing Director of the Catalan Agency of Tourism, Spain

- “Lessons learnt by a donor project supporting tourism developments along the Danube”, by Knut Gerber, Advisor, German Federal Enterprise for International Cooperation, Germany

- “Tourism in Europe - Regional leadership in quality, sustainability, and growth”, by Albert Salman, President, Green Destinations, the Netherlands

- “Seasonality: a marketing and political perspective” by George Drakopoulos, Special Adviser to the Secretary General of the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), European Economic and Social Committee

Debate

15.15- 15.45 Coffee break

“Sustainable Tourism as a Pillar of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)” International Stakeholders Conference co-organised by the CPMR and the Region of Crete - p.3 15.45-17.00 Session 4: Clusters as an instrument for expanding the tourist season

Moderated by Artemis Saitakis, Director, Science and Technology Park of Crete (STEP-C), Greece

- “Initiatives to expand the tourism season in Skåne Region”, by Annika Annerby Jansson, Vice-President of Region Skåne, Sweden, Vice-President of the CPMR

- “Tourism within the MED Maritime Clusters: Governance, Complexity and Effectiveness”, by Roberto Sandrini, Chamber of Commerce of , Italy

- “Cruise as a pillar of tourism development and expanding the tourism season”, by Ioannis Bras, President & CEO of Heraklion Port Authority S.A., and Vice-President of the Greek Ports Association, Greece

- “Towards a Regional Strategy for Tourism. The case of the Region of Crete”, by Michael Vamiedakis, Regional Councillor of Crete in charge of Tourism Affairs, Greece

Debate

17.00 - 17.30 Messages of the day - Closing session

Moderation: Georgios Alexakis, Regional Councillor of Crete, Greece, in charge of European and International Affairs and Vice-President of the CPMR

Stavros Arnaoutakis, Regional Governor of Crete, Greece

Eleni Marianou, CPMR Secretary General

Andrea Mairate / Joanna Mouliou Niessler, DG REGIO

20.45: Reception Dinner (Members of the CPMR Political Bureau and Tourism conference participants)

Transfer by bus to the reception dinner venue Departure at: 20.15 from Aldemar Cretan Village – 20.30 from Aldemar Royal Mare Venue: Central square of Mochos (a village located about 12 Km from Aldemar Hotels)

“Sustainable Tourism as a Pillar of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)” International Stakeholders Conference co-organised by the CPMR and the Region of Crete - p.4

Friday, 12 June 2015

09.00-14.00 Fifth Session: Technical visits – best practice examples

09.00: Departure from hotels

09.30-11.30: Technical visit to Cretaquarium – a technical attainment by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR is the Greek National Advisor for Blue Growth)

Conducted tour and discussion about HCMR activities around the

11.30-12.00: Bus transfer

12.00-14.00: Technical visit to a winery and discussion about wine clusters (lunch on site)

14.00: Bus transfer to hotel

20.45: Gala Dinner (Members of the CPMR Political Bureau and Tourism conference participants)

Transfer by bus to the Gala dinner venue Departure at: 20.15 from Aldemar Cretan Village – 20.30 from Aldemar Royal Mare

20.45: Gala dinner for all Venue: Central square of Malia (a village located about 6 Km from Aldemar Hotels)

Saturday, 13 June 2015

9.00 – 15.30: EXCURSION (Members of the CPMR Political Bureau and Tourism conference participants)

9.00 - 9.15 Departure from hotels to Knossos 10.00 Arrival at Knossos 10.00 - 11.30 Guided visit to Knossos 11.30 -12.00 transfer with bus from Knossos to Heraklion Archaeological Museum 12.00 - 13.00 Guided visit to the Museum 13.00 Departure from the Museum for a short city visit 13.30 Arrival at Heraklion City Hall and guided visit 13.45 Welcoming address by Vassilios Lamprinos, Mayor of Heraklion 13.55 Short address by CPMR representative 14.00 Little reception with local delicacies 14.20 Departure from Heraklion Municipality and return to buses 14.45 Departure and return to hotel 15.30 Arrival at hotel

“Sustainable Tourism as a Pillar of the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR)” International Stakeholders Conference co-organised by the CPMR and the Region of Crete - p.5