Speakers
Costas Christ
Founder and President of Beyond Green Travel. Senior Advisor for Sustainable Tourism at National Geographic. Pioneer in Sustainable Tourism
Costas Christ is one of the world’s leading voices in sustainable tourism. NBC Today Show said: “For the past 30 years, Costas Christ has been at the leading edge of the green travel movement.” A New York Times contributing writer and award-winning former National Geographic editor and columnist, Costas is a co-founder of the Blue Climate Initiative. He has dedicated his career to advancing tourism to be a positive force for nature conservation, cultural heritage protection, and the well-being of local communities. He was inducted as a Fellow of The Explorer's Club in 2023, joining some of the world’s most renowned explorers and scientists, including Jane Goodall, Sylvia Earle and Sir Edmond Hilary.
Costas' life’s work has been featured in two films, including the 2022 documentary, The Last Tourist. He is a co-author of Transformational Opportunities for People, Ocean, Planet; Tourism and Biodiversity: Mapping Tourism's Global Footprint; and a contributing author to Wilderness: Earth's Last Wild Places and Transboundary Conservation. With experience in over 130 countries across six continents, Costas has worked as a senior advisor to governments, international organizations, hospitality groups and travel companies to develop sustainability leadership best practices. His work has earned numerous international awards, establishing him as an expert and global reference in integrating tourism, conservation, and economic development.
Session:
- KEYNOTE (COSTAS CHRIST)
Tourism and The Blue Economy - From Sustainability to Transformation
A leading expert on the global travel and tourism industry, Costas shares his own story and draws from his professional work in more than 100 countries over three decades, taking us on a journey from the origins of sustainable tourism to the current day. He highlights what this means for the blue economy, where more than 80 percent of all tourism in the world takes place. Cutting through industry and academic jargon, this presentation gets to the heart of the transformation of tourism underway, providing inspiring examples of blue economy tourism innovation in action and concludes with what every travel business and destination needs to know for success.