Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos

Tourism Expert
Lived 🇬🇷🇦🇺🇪🇸
World Citizen Spirit #tourism #environment #economy #silkroad #research 📊🌐
Ex 🇺🇳 @unwto
RT≠Endorsement
Views are my own

[@ctotourism @ctotourism]

🌊 Balancing growth, protection and risk in the Blue Economy

At today’s session on Tourism in Blue, one message came through clearly: the Caribbean’s ocean is both our greatest asset and our greatest responsibility.

Panelists emphasized that tourism will play a defining role in the ocean economy — but without careful planning, the very resources that drive growth are at risk. From coral reef loss threatening dive tourism to pollution and unmanaged development, the stakes are high.

The path forward?
🔹 Put communities at the center — not as an afterthought, but as co-creators and stewards
🔹 Move from talk to action — linking investment to measurable environmental outcomes
🔹 Rethink development — integrating tourism, environment and livelihoods in one system
🔹 Embrace innovation — from circular tourism to reef restoration experiences
🔹 Educate the next generation — building ocean literacy and a deeper understanding of how our ecosystems, economies and communities are linked.

A critical reminder: what happens on land directly impacts the sea — and the future of Caribbean tourism depends on getting this balance right.

The opportunity is real. So is the risk. The decisions we make now will define both.

Pictured clockwise from top left: K. Denaye Hinds, JustaTAAD, LLC; Dr. Maya Trotz, Professor, University of South Florida; Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, ICF (Moderator); Dylis McDonald, CANARI; and Ché Greenidge, Oceana Innovation Hub
#OneCaribbean #CaribbeanTourism #STC2026

[@ctotourism @ctotourism]

Red Alert: Tools and Strategies for Managing Climate Risk in Tourism 🚨🌴

At #STC2026 on Tuesday in Belize, this session made one thing clear: climate risk is no longer a future concern — it is the current operating environment for Caribbean tourism.

Moderated by Narendra Ramgulam, Deputy Director, Sustainable Tourism, Caribbean Tourism Organization (left) and featuring (L–R) Dr. Vickey John-Joseph, CEO, Climate & Energy Policy Leader and Architect of the Caribbean Climate-Smart Tourism Standards (CCTS) and Tourism Climate Action Compliance Database (TCACD); Dr. Colin Young, Executive Director, Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre; Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, Head of Tourism, ICF.

The discussion challenged the region to move beyond recovery — and toward readiness:
🔴 Climate risk is compounding — rising temperatures, coral loss, water scarcity, and coastal erosion are happening simultaneously
🔴 The real challenge is not awareness, but action — using data, tools, and standards already available
🔴 Tourism must shift from “bounce back” to building systems that don’t break in the first place
🔴 Climate data must be practical and actionable — informing real investment and operational decisions

Panelists emphasized critical priorities for the region:
🌍 Adaptation must start now — climate projections to 2050 provide a clear roadmap for action
🌍 Standards and data systems can drive accountability — but only if implemented at scale
🌍 Financial systems must begin pricing climate risk into investments and insurance
🌍 Nature-based solutions, like mangrove restoration, offer long-term resilience over hard infrastructure
🌍 Integrate traditional ecological knowledge of Indigenous peoples and local communities, building resilience from the ground up
🌍 Leverage global tourism diplomacy — sharing and scaling adaptation strategies across peer destinations

The takeaway: the Caribbean has the tools, data and expertise. The urgency now lies in accelerating implementation at the speed, scale and seriousness required.
#OneCaribbean #CaribbeanTourism

[@ctotourism @ctotourism]

Unlocking Blue and Green Finance: Actionable Solutions for Sustainable Caribbean Tourism 💰🌊🌱

At #STC2026 today, this session explored how the Caribbean can move from ideas to implementation — by unlocking the financing needed to build a more resilient, regenerative tourism sector.

Moderated by Kevin G., Senior Lecturer, University of Belize (UB) and featuring Tenisha Brown-Williams, Senior Tourism Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); Rodinald Soomer, CEO, CARICOM Development Fund; Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, Head of Tourism, ICF; and including a virtual contribution from Dr. Stacy Richards Kennedy, Regional Manager for the Caribbean, CAF – Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Key insights included:
🔵🟢 Blue and green finance are essential to protecting the region’s core assets — oceans, ecosystems and communities
🔵🟢Blended finance and de-risking tools are unlocking private capital for sustainable tourism projects
🔵🟢Funding is available — but access requires bankable projects, technical capacity, and stronger public-private collaboration
🔵🟢Investments must move beyond hotels to support full tourism ecosystems, including infrastructure, SMEs and community-based initiatives
🔵🟢Regional and global models show that coordinated, large-scale approaches are needed — not fragmented, one-off investments

Real-world examples demonstrated how this is already happening — from renewable energy transitions in tourism businesses to marine conservation investments and wastewater infrastructure protecting coastal destinations.

The takeaway: the Caribbean has both the opportunity and the support to finance a more sustainable tourism future. The priority now is turning projects into investable opportunities — and ensuring that growth delivers lasting value for people, communities and the environment.

Pictured clockwise from top left are Tenisha Brown, Rodinald Soomer, Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, Kevin Geban and Dr. Stacy Richards.
#OneCaribbean #CaribbeanTourism

[Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos @ngkolf]

Look forward to joining you in Belize
@ctotourism @ICF #thisisicf

[@ctotourism @ctotourism]

Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos, Head of Tourism at ICF, moderates the session “Tourism in Blue: Planning Tools to Balance Growth, Protection and Risk” at CTO’s Sustainable Tourism Conference in Belize, April 27-30, 2026. Gkolfinopoulos brings over a decade of international experience supporting governments, destinations and tourism organizations in strategy, diagnostics and implementation. At ICF, he leads the firm’s tourism practice at the intersection of policy, data and delivery, with a focus on community inclusion, environmental stewardship and institutional capacity.

Register: https://t.co/EXGOQJCGxi #STC2026 #OneCaribbean

[Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos @ngkolf]

🔗 The interview and relevant articles are available here: https://t.co/NBLdcvxs3z

#thisisICF #tourism #Climate #Adaptation #Resilience @ICF

[Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos @ngkolf]

We need to add #ClimateAdaptation to our tourism vocabulary & consider the where-to beyond mitigation and #sustainability

Thank you @TravelDailyNews Greece & Cyprus for inviting me to discuss @ICF new innovative solution on #Tourism and Heat Resilience🔥🛡

#thisisICF

[UN Tourism @UNWTO]

🌍✈️ Según el último barómetro de ONU Turismo, el sector ya ha recuperado el 99% con respecto a los niveles de 2019. En los últimos meses, los destinos con mejor rendimiento han sido:

🏆 Qatar: +137%
🏆 El Salvador: +81%
🏆 Albania: +80%

🔗https://t.co/6vspO8FF4X

#Turismo

[ATREVIA @Atrevia]

🗓️ #AGENDA | ¡Quedan solo dos días! Este viernes, 24 de enero, de 11:00  a 13:00 horas, únete al 'UN Tourism Affiliate Members Corner: Segmentación de viajeros objetivo' en Fiturtechy (Pabellón 10 de @IFEMA), un evento imprescindible para descubrir estrategias de #marketing innovadoras dirigidas a diversos segmentos de viajeros.

En el marco de @fitur_madrid 2025, varios expertos nos compartirán estrategias para adaptar el marketing a las preferencias únicas de viajeros de negocios, nómadas digitales, viajeros LGBTQ+, viajeros eco-conscientes, familias, ¡y más!

¡No te lo pierdas!

[Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos @ngkolf]

EU Hotels VS Booking:

That is a very interesting development for the tourism ecosystem of the EU, which will definitely impact the distribution systems and the tourism value chain within the region.

#tourism #regulation #policy #management #valuechain #eu #hotels

[HOTREC @HOTREC_EUROPE]

🚨Great news for hotels around Europe!

Today, the @EU_Commission designated @bookingcom as a gatekeeper platform under the Digital Markets Act.

HOTREC strongly supports the official designation.

The #DMA is now a game changer!

Our full reaction👇

https://t.co/GvsfH6pMQ3

[Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos @ngkolf]

Great past week at #ATM2024 representing @ICF Tourism. Invited at the Future Stage, we discussed futureproofing destinations, tourism crises, understanding the chaos of data, and fostering resilience & security.

#thisisICF #tourism #future #resilience #security

@ATMDubai

[ICF @ICF]

Our travel and tourism experts Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos and Eliot Lees share with the New York Times the complex impacts for companies as employees increasingly add leisure time onto business trips. https://t.co/aV5qYlD5iY

[scarvao @scarvao1]

There are many reasons for our work at @UNWTO on #tourism for #rural development but one is central - the capacity that the sector hold to uplift communities out of #poverty @ZoritsaUrosevic @BTV_UNWTO

[scarvao @scarvao1]

#tourism potencial to support #Africa future highlighted by @WorldBank President among key five areas- the sector is a major export earner and job creator @ZoritsaUrosevic @ElciaGrandcourt @UNWTO

[Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos @ngkolf]

It was great to have contributed to the topic of work and travel for @nytimes in an article written by @amyzipkin

#tourism #work #business #thisisicf @ICF #thenewyorktimes

[Eduardo Chaillo CMP, CMM, CITP @echaillo]

“Crafting a comprehensive policy that balances business objectives, employee well-being and legal considerations can be challenging,” @ngkolf, head of tourism at @ICF https://t.co/brQebsjaX7 @nytimes @pcmahq

[UN Tourism Knowledge @UNWTO_pub]

🇪🇸 Exciting news from Spain! Introducing the Hosts of Tourism Program (Programa Anfitriones) -a key initiative by @industriagob driving Spain's sustainable tourism strategy for 2030 🌿
Explore free online courses open to all!
🔗https://t.co/r9tmQWKuoO
@SDGaction @SDG2030 @UN_SDG

[UN Tourism @UNWTO]

UN Tourism´s 2023 survey of 79 countries highlights key SDGs driving rural tourism: SDG 8 'Decent work', SDG 1 'No poverty', SDG 11 'Sustainable cities', SDG 5 'Gender equality', and SDG 12 'Responsible consumption'. 🌟

🔗 https://t.co/PJ6h38DyoN 🌍

@BTV_UNWTO

[ICF @ICF]

We’re delighted to support this initiative alongside @UNWTO for Thassos, Greece. We will work with local stakeholders on tourism marketing & social sustainability, placing the residents of Thassos Island at the center of sustainable tourism development. https://t.co/JN1D26sRky

[Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos @ngkolf]

@UNWTO On behalf of @ICF, we are proud to be joining forces with UN Tourism to support the tourism development and social sustainability of Thassos Island 🤝🇬🇷

#tourism #thassos #untourism #thisisicf #greece

[Nikolaos Gkolfinopoulos @ngkolf]

Great mission to #Thassos last Friday kick-starting this exciting project!

@ICF is proud to be joining forces with @UNWTO, paving the way for a targeted tourism development that benefits both the economic and social fabrics of Thassos.

#tourism #thisisicf #untourism #Greece

[UN Tourism @UNWTO]

🌍 Delighted to announce our partnership with Thassos Municipality, Greece, to enhance tourism resilience. In collaboration with UN Tourism Affiliate Member ICF, we'll engage locals in projects for pandemic recovery and future resilience.

🔗https://t.co/aWWvLIta2x