The opening speech at the “Transatlantic Skift Summit”, in New York, was made by the Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, as part of his visit to New York, USA.

This is one of the leading forums for tourism worldwide (Transatlantic Summit), which was organized by the European Travel Commission, bringing together 150 senior tourism executives, representing the entire transatlantic travel ecosystem, to examine the evolving dynamics of travel between Europe and North America, as stated in the relevant announcement.

Major airlines and travel agents, heads of tourism destinations and tourism destination management organizations, as well as travel technology pioneers, pointed out, among others, that the transatlantic corridor remains the most important in global travel and is shaped by the evolving demands of travelers, geopolitical changes and the acceleration of digital innovation.

At the Transatlantic Summit, the participants also explored the scope for strengthening collaborations in order to address contemporary mobility challenges and shape the new framework for more, better and more sustainable travel.

In his speech, Mr. Tzitzikostas referred to the importance of transatlantic travel flows, to the new strategy for European tourism that he is drawing up, to the challenges facing the transport sector, but also to the opportunities arising from innovation, the diversification of tourist habits, sustainable and multimodal transport. He also referred to the emergence of the EU-US relationship as of major importance for global tourism.

“The Transatlantic Corridor is the busiest route in the world,” he said, adding: “It connects our people, builds bridges and gives our economies on both sides of the Atlantic a vital economic boost. Last year, nearly 10 million Europeans traveled to the US, while Americans spent over 34 million nights in Europe.”

“I think it’s fair to say that we have a two-way relationship, deeply enriching, mutually beneficial and extremely valuable,” added Mr. Tzitzikostas, emphasizing that “some of these trips are for business and some for leisure. But it all creates jobs, income and prosperity on both sides of the Atlantic.”

“The diversity we offer visitors keeps tourists coming back,” he continued. “For Europe, the US is the most important long-haul market. American visitors stay longer and spend more than the average traveler. That’s why, together with the European Travel Commission, we’ve launched campaigns across the US, not only to promote our most iconic destinations, but also to highlight lesser-known areas. And we’re doing this because we want to spread the benefits more evenly, across all regions and throughout the year.”

“You will see this approach reflected in our upcoming first European tourism strategy, which I will present in 2026. It will focus on three key priorities: transitioning destinations to more sustainable and resilient models, driving digital innovation for the benefit of both travelers and businesses, and deepening our international partnerships with key partners, starting here in the USA, our closest and most valued ally. Each of these priorities offers opportunities, from innovation in digital payments to diversification and creating a global standard for sustainability,” said Mr. Tzitzikostas.

Referring to contemporary challenges, the Commissioner emphasized that the EU and the US are facing them with key adjustments. “Europe is investing in high-speed rail and multimodal ticketing. The US is investing in modernizing its infrastructure. Together, we can make travel smoother, more reliable and more sustainable.”

As Mr. Tzitzikostas noted, “tourism is more than an industry. It is a “soft power”, the value of which should never be underestimated. Because it means millions of jobs, billions in revenue and links between communities across borders. Together, the EU and the US create the largest travel and tourism market in the world. Turmoil may be inevitable at times, but with established partnerships and a shared vision, there is literally no obstacle we can’t overcome.”

On the sidelines of the forum, the Commissioner held meetings and talks with EU and US tourism operators and officials, in which reference was made to strengthening Europe’s position in the American market, taking stock of trends and challenges and gathering data, which will feed into the new single European strategy for tourism, which the Commissioner will present next year.

During his stay in New York, Mr. Tzitzikostas had private meetings with the Archbishop of America Elpidophoros, the EU ambassador to the United Nations, Stavros Lambrinidis, the consul general of Greece in New York Ifigenia Kanaras, the president of the Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce – HACC) Eftychia Pylarinos-Piper and top executives of US tourism operators.