World Tourism Day: messages for the islands

On the occasion of World Tourism Day, Sunday 27 September 2026, statements were published on the importance of tourism on the islands of the South Aegean, with the Cyclades at the centre of the day’s public dialogue. At 14:51 a statement by Filippos Fortoma was published, according to which tourism is an integral part of life on the islands, not simply one economic sector among others. This year’s theme of World Tourism Day, as mentioned in the statement, concerns the future of the sector, digital transition and artificial intelligence, issues directly linked to how tourism in destinations such as Syros will evolve in the coming years.

In his statement, Filippos Fortoma gave particular emphasis to sustainable development of the tourism product, the preservation of the authenticity of island destinations and the protection of the area’s natural and cultural wealth. This approach positions digital transformation and artificial intelligence not as threats to island identity, but as tools that can support the competitiveness of local businesses without altering the character of destinations. The statement fits into the broader framework of international dialogue that develops each year around World Tourism Day, which this year focuses specifically on the technological challenges of the sector.

Shortly afterwards, at 14:53, a statement by Yorgos Hatzimarkos, regional governor of the South Aegean, was published, who thanked workers in the hospitality sector, professionals and businesspeople who daily support tourism on the islands. The regional governor noted that the islands of the South Aegean show the best demographic indicators in the country, attributing to a large extent this development to the dynamism created by tourism as a source of work, income and economic activity for island residents. “Tourism has a face. It is the people of our islands,” Yorgos Hatzimarkos characteristically stated in his statement.

The regional governor also stressed that recognition of the success of the islands’ tourism model does not negate the need for continuous improvement, as the two elements, he noted, are not mutually exclusive. The two statements, by Filippos Fortoma and Yorgos Hatzimarkos, compose a common picture for World Tourism Day 2026 on the islands of the South Aegean: recognition of the contribution of sector professionals, emphasis on sustainability and authenticity, but also a gaze fixed on the technological changes to come. The message of both sides appears to converge on the need for tourism in the Cyclades and more broadly in the South Aegean to continue to develop with respect for the place, the environment and the people who support it daily.