Αγαπητά μέλη, αγαπητοί συνεργάτες,
Με αίσθημα ευθύνης και μετά από ενδελεχή αξιολόγηση σειράς παραγόντων που επηρεάζουν άμεσα την ορθή και επιτυχή διεξαγωγή της διοργάνωσης, καθώς και των τελευταίων εξελίξεων σε διεθνές επίπεδο, το Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο του HAPCO & DES αποφάσισε την αναβολή του προγραμματισμένου Ετήσιου Συνεδρίου του Συνδέσμου. Η νέα ημερομηνία διεξαγωγής θα ανακοινωθεί πολύ σύντομα.
Η απόφαση αυτή ελήφθη λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τη δύσκολη και ασταθή συγκυρία που διαμορφώνεται στην ευρύτερη περιοχή της Μέσης Ανατολής, καθώς και τις επιπτώσεις που αυτή έχει στη διαθεσιμότητα θεσμικών εκπροσώπων, δημοσιογράφων και επαγγελματιών του κλάδου να συμμετάσχουν στις εργασίες του συνεδρίου.
Το ετήσιο συνέδριο του HAPCO & DES αποτελεί για τον Σύνδεσμο και τα μέλη του έναν σημαντικό θεσμό διαλόγου, στρατηγικής σκέψης και ανάδειξης των ζητημάτων που αφορούν στον κλάδο των συνεδρίων και επαγγελματικών εκδηλώσεων. Στόχος μας είναι η διοργάνωση να πραγματοποιείται πάντα με τη μέγιστη δυνατή συμμετοχή, θεσμική εκπροσώπηση και δημοσιογραφική κάλυψη, ώστε να υπηρετεί ουσιαστικά τον ρόλο της και να ανταποκρίνεται στις προσδοκίες όλων.
Με δεδομένο το ιδιαίτερα υψηλό ενδιαφέρον που έχει ήδη εκδηλωθεί, όλες οι εγγραφές θα παραμείνουν ενεργές και θα μεταφερθούν αυτόματα στη νέα ημερομηνία, η οποία θα ανακοινωθεί το προσεχές διάστημα. Σε περίπτωση που δεν επιθυμείτε να παραμείνει ενεργή η συμμετοχή σας, παρακαλώ ενημερώστε μας ώστε να προβούμε στην επιστροφή του κόστους εγγραφής.
Παράλληλα, αναγνωρίζουμε ότι ορισμένοι συμμετέχοντες έχουν ήδη προχωρήσει σε ταξιδιωτικές ρυθμίσεις για τη συμμετοχή τους. Το θέμα αυτό θα εξεταστεί με προσοχή και υπευθυνότητα, και θα ακολουθήσει σχετική ενημέρωση όπου απαιτείται.
Ως Σύνδεσμος που προωθεί τη σταθερότητα, τη διαχείριση κρίσεων και την υπεύθυνη λειτουργία του κλάδου, έχουμε χρέος να βρισκόμαστε στη διάθεση των μελών μας και των συνεργατών μας κάθε στιγμή που η παρουσία μας είναι ουσιαστική. Παράλληλα, επιδιώκουμε το ετήσιο συνέδριό μας να αποτελεί πάντα μία διοργάνωση υψηλής ποιότητας, με τη μέγιστη δυνατή προβολή προς όφελος των μελών μας και του ευρύτερου κλάδου.
Σας ευχαριστούμε θερμά για την κατανόηση, τη στήριξη και την εμπιστοσύνη σας.
Θα επανέλθουμε πολύ σύντομα με τη νέα ημερομηνία και λεπτομέρειες.
Με εκτίμηση,
Για το Διοικητικό Συμβούλιο
HAPCO & DES
SimpleG (Γιώργος Δημουλάς) είναι εικαστικός καλλιτέχνης με σπουδές στη γλυπτική, το σχέδιο και την αγιογραφία στην Ανωτάτη Σχολή Καλών Τεχνών της Αθήνας. Τα τελευταία δεκαεπτά χρόνια δημιουργεί μεγάλες τοιχογραφίες σε δημόσιους και ιδιωτικούς χώρους, συνεργαζόμενος με δήμους, πολιτιστικούς φορείς και εταιρείες στην Ελλάδα και το εξωτερικό.
Το έργο του συνδυάζει ρεαλισμό με έντονη ανθρωποκεντρική διάσταση, ενσωματώνοντας σύγχρονα και βυζαντινά στοιχεία. Έχει συμμετάσχει σε εκθέσεις και φεστιβάλ σε Αθήνα, Τήνο, Παρίσι, Ρώμη, Βουδαπέστη και αλλού.
Παράλληλα, διανύει εκατοντάδες χιλιόμετρα στα ελληνικά βουνά και μονοπάτια, ως αθλητής ορεινού τρεξίματος και μέλος της ομάδας The North Face. Έχει συμμετάσχει σε αγώνες υπεραποστάσεων όπως το Spartathlon (245 km, 2023,2024,2025) και ο Ολύμπιος Δρόμος (180 km, 2023), καθώς και σε κορυφαίους ορεινούς αγώνες όπως το Olympus Marathon, το Zagori Race και το Ursa Trail. Έχει επίσης αγωνιστεί σε διεθνείς διοργανώσεις όπως το Transgrancanaria, συνδέοντας την τέχνη του με την πειθαρχία, την αντοχή και τη βιωματική εμπειρία του φυσικού τοπίου.
Βρείτε τον στο Instagram: @george.dimoulas και στο simpleg.net.
Sports Excellence – Sports Director
Aπόστρατος Αξιωµατικός του Π.Ν. (27 έτη υπηρεσίας).
Έχει ολοκληρώσει το βασικό σχολείο Υποβρυχίων Καταστροφών (ΟΥΚ), την επιχειρησιακή εκπαίδευση καθώς και το αντίστοιχο Αλεξιπτωτιστών (ΣΒΕΑ).
BSc Sports Science από το Κρατικού Πανεπιστηµίου του Στρασβούργου, MScc «Μεγιστοποίηση Αθλητικής Απόδοσης» .
Προπονητής µεγάλων αποστάσεων δρόµου, ορεινού τρεξίµατος και τριάθλου. Έχει διατελέσει ΚΦΑ της Σχολής Υπαξιωµατικών της Πολεµικής Αεροπορίας και της Σχολής Νοσηλευτών Αξιωµατικών Σωµάτων (ΣΑΝ).
Παγκόσµιος κυπελλούχος ορεινού τρεξίµατος – 1ος 2018 & 2ος 2016.
Bαλκανιονίκης και Παν/νιος Πρωταθλητής στον Μαραθώνιο δρόµο.
Μέλος της Εθνικής οµάδας Μαραθωνίου, ανωµάλου δρόµου και ορεινού δρόµου.
Νικητής στον Μαραθώνιο του Σινικού Τοίχους (2013), µε ρεκόρ διαδροµής (έως και σήµερα).
5 φορές νικητής στον διεθνή Olympus Marathon, κάτοχος του ρεκόρ διαδροµής επί σειρά ετών καθώς και των περισσοτέρων ορεινών αγώνων της χώρας, αποστάσεων από 5 έως 80χλµ., επί 11 συναπτά έτη.
Πρωταθλητής Ελλάδος στην κωπηλασία και µέλος της Εθνικής οµάδας επί σειρά ετών.
Dimitris Dimitriadis is Co-Founder & CIO of TheFutureCats Advisory S.A., an award-winning AI company he founded in 2018. With academic roots in Design Innovation (BA, University of the Arts London; MA in Design Interaction, Royal College of Art) and specialization in Strategic Foresight from the Copenhagen Institute for Futures Studies, he bridges cutting-edge technology with real-world application in regulated environments.
TheFutureCats developed Cogniveil.ai – a policy-aware intelligence layer that ensures compliance, transparency, and full auditability for enterprises operating under strict regulatory frameworks.
As a Researcher at the Special Secretariat for Strategic Foresight of the Greek Government Presidency, Dimitris helps shape long-term public policy informed by mega-trends, weak signals, and technology convergence. He has taught Data Analytics & AI at CITY College, University of York Europe Campus for several years.
Author of 2049 – Instructions for the Futures of Humanity (KEY BOOKS), he challenges readers to embrace uncertainty as a catalyst for progress.
A keynote speaker active across 74 countries and 4 continents, he has spoken for Fortune 500 brands including HP, AstraZeneca, Sanofi, L’Oréal Paris, Philip Morris International, and Johnson & Johnson, as well as institutions such as the U.S. Department of State, the European Commission, and TEDx stages across Europe and North America. His work has been featured in the Herald Tribune, El País, Fortune Global, and Esquire.
For 12 years, he has been training a personal AI model to one day advise his niece when he’s no longer around – a living proof that technology should serve human relationships and the transmission of knowledge across generations.
Philipp Deutscher is an External CTO and CTO Coach working with technology leaders and executive teams on strategic transformation, organizational alignment, and AI-driven operating models. He previously served as Vice President of Engineering and Managing Director at TeamViewer, where he led large-scale international engineering organizations and drove technology-enabled business growth.
Today, Philipp advises companies and public–private initiatives on how to translate technological change into structured execution and measurable impact. His work focuses on leadership, governance, and building high-performing organizations that connect strategic ambition with operational clarity. Through his international engagements, he bridges the gap between innovation, decision-making, and sustainable transformation.
Alexandros Thanos is the Executive Director of SETE. Prior to this position, he was the Deputy Governor of the region of Central Macedonia 2022 – 2023, Head of Tourism Sector of the Region of Central Macedonia (2019-2021), Deputy Governor of Tourism and Culture of Central Macedonia (2016 – 2019) and the Regional Adviser of Central Macedonia for education, development, environment and European programs (2011 – 2016).
He is a graduate of the Department of Theology of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and holds a Master’s Degree in Sociology. Mr. Thanos is also a graduate of the University of Macedonia in Business Administration and holds an MBA in Business Administration from Kingston University, specializing in Strategic Company Development.
I was born in Ioannina in 1962
I grew up in Ioannina and graduated from the High School of Zosimaia School.
In 1980 I started my university studies at the School of Mechanical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens.
After completing my studies I worked as a freelancer in the construction industry.
I actively participated as an elected member in the Technical Chamber of Greece.
Coming from a family with a deep love for local-government, as the son of the late mayor Constantinos Bega, the first elected mayor of Ioannina after the Post-colonization in 1974, I participated in the municipal elections of 2010 as a candidate for municipal councilor on the ballot of the faction “Enotita Politon – Nea Giannena” .
I was elected a municipal councilor and then assumed the duties of deputy mayor until the end of the specific municipal term.
In 2014, I was elected mayor of Ioannina for the first time as the head of the ballot of the faction ” Enotita Politon – Nea Giannena “.
From 2019 to 2023 I was the leader of the faction and a member of the municipal council of the municipality of Ioannina.
From 2024 I am the elected mayor of Ioannina.
I was born in Ioannina in 1962
I grew up in Ioannina and graduated from the High School of Zosimaia School.
In 1980 I started my university studies at the School of Mechanical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens.
After completing my studies I worked as a freelancer in the construction industry.
I actively participated as an elected member in the Technical Chamber of Greece.
Coming from a family with a deep love for local-government, as the son of the late mayor Constantinos Bega, the first elected mayor of Ioannina after the Post-colonization in 1974, I participated in the municipal elections of 2010 as a candidate for municipal councilor on the ballot of the faction “Enotita Politon – Nea Giannena” .
I was elected a municipal councilor and then assumed the duties of deputy mayor until the end of the specific municipal term.
In 2014, I was elected mayor of Ioannina for the first time as the head of the ballot of the faction ” Enotita Politon – Nea Giannena “.
From 2019 to 2023 I was the leader of the faction and a member of the municipal council of the municipality of Ioannina.
From 2024 I am the elected mayor of Ioannina.
Angela Varela has been appointed as the new President of the Board of Directors of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO), effective July 30, 2025 (Government Gazette 962/YODD/30.07.2025).
This appointment follows her successful completion of the required examination process under Law 5062/2023.
Ms. Varela graduated with a degree in Public Administration from the Panteion School of Political Sciences in 1983. She expanded her expertise through the Postgraduate Program “Tourism Business Administration” at the Hellenic Open University (2006) and later earned a second postgraduate degree in “New Media and Journalism” from the School of International Studies, Communication and Culture at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences (2016).
Her career has been shaped by her long-standing commitment to the Greek National Tourism Organization, which she joined in 1983. Since then, she has held several key positions both in Greece and abroad, with a primary focus on tourism marketing.
She is fluent in English, French, Italian, and Spanish.
Maria Gatsou began her extensive career in the communications sector in 2000. She joined V+O Communication in 2005, where she gained experience in various fields, including tourism, shipping, real estate, and retail. She has a proven track record in designing and implementing strategic communication plans (media relations, public/local affairs, etc.), managing communication during emergencies and crises, as well as organizing events of both small and large scale.
Maria joined SETE in 2018 as Director of Communication and in September 2020 she became General Manager of the Confederation. She is Board member and inspirational mentor at the non-profit organization JA Greece – Junior Achievement Greece, as well as mentor for the egg – enter•grow•go programs of Eurobank and ExcellenSeas – Seas of Excellence, actively supporting youth entrepreneurship.
She studied Business Administration with a specialization in Marketing Management at Deree College and earned a master’s degree in Tourism Marketing from the University of Surrey.
Born August 6, 1970, in Athens.
Mr. Harry Theoharis was first elected in 2015 and on December 18, 2018, he joined the New Democracy party.
Mr. Theoharis holds an MEng (Hon) in Software Engineering from Imperial College, London, and has held high-ranking positions in private sector companies in Greece and abroad. He has also worked in start-up companies.
During 2011-2012, Mr. Theoharis served as Secretary General for Information Systems and is known for introducing new digital services to assist the public, helping to reduce bureaucracy and its associated costs.
He later (2013-14) served as Secretary General for Public Revenues at the Greek Finance Ministry. There, he succeeded in meeting budget revenues and producing a fiscal surplus. He is also known for launching the www.publicrevenue.gr platform to increase transparency in public administration.
From 2019 to 2021, he served as Minister of Tourism, where he focused on rejuvenating Greece’s tourism sector, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting sustainable practices and digital transformation. He was also the Parliamentary Spokesperson for the New Democracy political party from 2021 to 2023.
In the national elections of May and June 2023, he was re-elected Member of Parliament with the New Democracy political party. On June 27, 2023, Mr. Theoharis was appointed by Prime Minister Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis as Deputy Minister of Finance of Greece for taxation matters, a position he held until June 2024. During his tenure, he prioritized transparency, efficiency, and fairness in the tax system, while fostering an investment-friendly environment.
In the fall of 2024, he was nominated by the Prime Minister of Greece as a candidate for Secretary-General of the UN Tourism, leading a successful and internationally praised campaign.
On June 30, 2025, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, responsible for economic diplomacy and promoting Greece’s global outreach.
He is married to Dimitra Rigogianni and is the father of four children.
1. Strategic Repositioning of Greece in the global Meetings Industry landscape
2. Public–Private Sector Alignment & AI-driven collaboration models
3. The Lake Effect – Reflection, clarity & destination transformation
4. Accessibility as a Competitive Advantage for inclusive destinations
5. Hospitality 360° – Hotels as experience shapers
6. Leadership in Motion – The human-centric leader of the new era
7. Event Architecture & Experience Design
8. Entrepreneurship & Innovation in MICE
9. Destination Storytelling & Perception Shifting
10. Personal Branding for Event Professionals
11. Collaborative Ecosystem Dialogue (Associations, Ambassadors, PCOs)
12. Crisis & Risk Management Workshop
13. AI Applications in the MICE Sector
14. Student Competition – “City Boosters”
Core Focus Areas
Strategy | Innovation | Leadership | Accessibility | AI | Regional Collaboration | Youth Empowerment
