European Conference on Sustainable Tourism – Celebrating 20 Years of CSTI Leadership in Sustainability (2006-2026)

Commissioner Costas Kadis leads the EU’s Fisheries and Oceans policy, focusing on implementing a long-term vision for a resilient, competitive, and sustainable European fisheries and aquaculture sector to secure Europe’s food sovereignty. He is also responsible for the EU’s global efforts to restore ocean health, ensure maritime security, and support coastal communities across Europe. He oversees the implementation of the EU Ocean Pact, the flagship initiative aiming to ensure coherence across all policy areas linked to the ocean and strengthen Europe’s role as a global leader in ocean governance. 

A Professor of Biodiversity Conservation at Frederick University in Cyprus, Commissioner Kadis has held several ministerial positions for the Republic of Cyprus, including Minister of Health, Minister of Education and Culture, and Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development, and Environment. He also led the Greek Cypriot Technical Committee on the Environment, engaging in reunification talks with his Turkish Cypriot counterpart. 

Born in Nicosia in 1967, he graduated from the University of Athens with a degree in Biology in 1991 and earned a PhD in Conservation Biology in 1995. He served as postdoctoral researcher at the University of Athens, thereafter, establishing the Nature Conservation Unit at Frederick University Cyprus and serving as Dean of its School of Education from 2005. 

Prof. Kadis is an accomplished scholar, authoring or co-authoring six books and over 50 peer-reviewed scientific articles on natural resource management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental education.  

Jeremy Sampson is a globally recognized leader in sustainable tourism and the CEO of The Travel Foundation, a nonprofit organization working to reshape tourism so that it better serves communities and the climate. He has spent more than 15 years working across the travel and tourism sectors to drive systems-level change, bringing together diverse stakeholders to address some of the industry’s most pressing challenges. 

Since taking the helm of The Travel Foundation in 2019, Jeremy has helped position the organization as a catalyst for transformation. Under his leadership, the nonprofit has expanded its global influence, pioneering approaches that embed climate action, equity, and resilience into tourism planning and investment. He was a co-author of UN Tourism’s Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism, launched at COP26, and played a key role in founding the Future of Tourism Coalition, a global alliance of NGOs committed to collaborative, destination-centered solutions. 

Jeremy has lived and worked in Brazil, Spain, and the UK, and now calls Spokane, Washington home. This international perspective, combined with a community-centric lens, informs his approach to every project and platform he engages with. 

In all his work, Jeremy champions the role of mission-driven organizations as essential to tourism’s future—challenging inertia, amplifying local voices, and helping the industry navigate an increasingly complex and climate-constrained world.

Dr Anagnostopoulou Christina is a Full Professor of Climatology, and Synoptic and Dynamic Climatology. She was Director of the Department of Meteorology and Climatology (2021–2023) and Director of the Master Program “Meteorology, Climatology and Atmospheric Environment” (2017–2021).

She is a member of national and international scientific and professional associations. The fields of her scientific activities are Climate Extremes, Synoptic–Dynamic Climatology, Climatic Changes, and Dynamical and Statistical Downscaling. A substantial portion of her research has been conducted in the frame of funded research projects. She has co-ordinated and participated in national and European research projects, as well as a significant number of projects focused on the climatology and the impact of climate change in different sectors.

Christina Anagnostopoulou has been responsible for eight different climatology-related courses taught in her department, and one of her key priorities has been to keep the content up to date, offering students insights into the newest tools and developments in the dynamic field of climate science. She also strives to integrate new teaching tools and technologies.

Christina Anagnostopoulou has participated in several national and international conferences and project meetings. She has published more than 200 papers in international journals, international conference proceedings, and national conferences. She is a reviewer in 12 journals and the IPCC Special Report “Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation” in 2011.

She was Guest Editor of the Special Issues: “Climate Extremes: Observations and Impacts” (Climate); “Temperature Extremes and Heat/Cold Waves” (Atmosphere); “Climate Extremes, the Past and the Future” (Climate); “Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources” (Climate); “Climate Change and Responses for Water and Environmental Security” (Climate); and “Modelling and Forecasting Extreme Climate Events”.

Italian by birth, I immediately started an international career: two years in the USA (McCormick Group), almost twenty years with the Danone Group (Italy, France, Mexico) always in higher positions.  

I joined the Johnson & Johnson Consumer Group in 1989 as Managing Director of the company in Italy. Later, I was Vice-President of J&J Consumer International responsible for Customer Development for Europe and worldwide trade relations. Fluent in Italian, English, French, Spanish, knowledge of German, Greek and Portuguese. 

Passionate about Greece, I was the first Italian tourist to visit Elafonisos, in the early 70’s. I fell in love with this wonderful island, therefore I established the Eco-Sustainable Development Association of Elafonisos  (elafonisoseco.org website) for which I became its President. Elafonisos Eco aims to ensure the sustainable development of the island and solve some environmental issues, as for example the Lionfish threat, the survival of sea turtles , the protection of cedar trees and the promotion of the archaeological sites of Pavlopetri. 

Interests : traveling, cooking, photography, skiing and swimming, stay with friends and know new people 

Philippos Drousiotis has a distinguished career in tourism, specializing in Sustainable and Special Interests Tourism. He has held senior roles including General Manager at various hotels, Area Manager for Cyprotels Hotels & Resorts, and Business Development Manager for Cyprus and Greece.

He is a part-time lecturer at the University of Nicosia, teaching Sustainable Tourism and Environmental Management for Tourism & Hospitality, and has been a guest speaker at conferences in Cyprus and internationally on topics such as Sustainable Tourism, Tourism & Climate Change, and Special Interests Tourism.

Philippos has served on the Board of Directors of the Cyprus Hotel Managers Association and has an extensive network within the Cypriot tourism industry. As Chairman and Co-founder of CSTI, he has played a pivotal role in driving its projects in collaboration with government ministries and industry stakeholders.

He holds a BA in Economics, Mathematics & Business, an MSc in Applied Mathematics, and an MBA from the University of Iowa, USA. His consultancy work includes sustainable development and special interests tourism projects, including in Cape Verde through the U.S. Millennium Cooperation. He has also published articles and delivered lectures to students in Cyprus and abroad.