G. Patoulis : “Greece is in a position to lead in Thermal Tourism”
The 8th Hellenic Congress of Thermal Medicine on 21 and 22 September, at the National Research Foundation was a great success, organized by the Greek Health Tourism Council – Elitour, in collaboration with the Academy of Thermal Medicine, the Global Doctors’ Hippocratic Institute, the Hellenic Society of Reproductive Medicine, the National Research Foundation, under the auspices of the Ministries of Health, Culture and Sports, Rural Development and Food, the Athens Medical Association and the Greek National Tourism Organization.
Eminent scientists, academics, as well as businessmen, made important contributions and presentations on issues related to Medical and Medical Tourism, with special emphasis on Thermal Medicine and Assisted Reproduction, as 2024 has been designated as the year of Thermal Medicine.
The conference was opened by Mr. George Patoulis, President of the Athens Medical Association, Greek Health Tourism Council – Elitour and the Global Doctors’ Hippocratic Institute, who said that Thermal Tourism – Health and Wellness Tourism is a sector with enormous potential and dynamic growth, both globally and in Greece. Among others, he stressed the following:
“Our belief is that a strong pillar for growth in our country can be Health Tourism, Thermal Tourism, Wellness and Longevity, since all over the world there are very large investments that will be made in the coming years and this must be the connecting element of absolute cooperation between the State, Local Authorities, scientific bodies and entrepreneurs. In this context, we are planning our strategy for the coming years, and we believe that in this way, we have the possibility to stop the bleeding of young Greek scientists”.
Mr Patoulis also pointed out the huge efforts made by the Greek Health Tourism Council for the promotion of Health and Wellness Tourism and said that Elitour is dedicated to promoting medical tourism in Greece, creating partnerships, strengthening infrastructure, and constantly improving the services provided. On the second day of the conference, which was dedicated to Thermal Medicine, Mr Patoulis stressed that Greece can and should lead the way in Medical Tourism, as it has a huge wealth of thermal springs at its disposal. “Greece must lead the world in terms of the number, quantity and quality of all thermal springs.”
The President of the Academy of Thermal Medicine, and Vice President C’ of Elitour, Mr. Konstantinos Kouskoukis, said that the 8th Hellenic Congress of Thermal Medicine was a huge success, as it coincides with the celebration of 2024 as the year of thermal medicine. He also stressed that the Thermal Medicine, established as a complementary medicine practiced only by medical specialists, opens new horizons for the development and establishment of Greece as a country that has excellent thermal springs with renowned health scientists. Finally, as he stated, the aim is to make Greece a global Health Resort – Medi Spa, providing high quality services of treatment, recovery, rehabilitation, longevity, and well-being, as Greece belongs to the five blue zones of the world.
Important speeches were given by, among others: the members of Elitour, First Vice-President Mr. Konstantinos Pantos, Mr. Christofer Tzermias, Mr. Gregory Kyriakou, Mr. George Kakoulidis, Ms. Maria Menenakou, Ms. Lina Eugenis, Mr. Nikitas Spinos, Mr. Nikolaos Kouvelas, the General Secretary of Global Doctors’ Hippocratic Institute Mr. Antonios Polydorou, the Director of Eddyppy Mr. George Stefanakos, members from the IVF Cluster of Elitour, Mr. Nikolaos Vrachnis, Mr. Vassilis Athanasiou, Mr. Leonidas Mamas, Mr. Konstantinos Dafopoulos, Ms. Victoria Polydorou and many more Academics, such as Mr. Demosthenes Sarigiannis, Director of the National Research Foundation, Mr. Georgios Kreatsas, Mr. Panagiotis Zirogiannis, Mr. Kimon Volikas and Mr. Eugenios Koumantakis. Interesting contributions were also made by the following: Alexandros Giatzidis, Anastasia Koilou, Christina Papanikolaou, Dimitris Batakis, Fernand Tshijanu, Maria Simaskou, Konstantinos Noutsis, Efstathios Skliros, Nikolaos Kourenos, Demosthenes Papamethodiou, Myrto Sotiropoulou, Xenophon Roussis, Efstratios Papadellis, Dimitrios Maggioros, Stylianos Velonas, John Doxaras, Ioannis Raptis and Konstantinos Giotis.
The event was honored with the presence and greeting of the former Deputy Minister of Health, Mrs. Asimina Gaga and the Regional Governor of the North Aegean, Mr. Konstantinos Moutzouris.
At the end of the event, Ms. Gaga presented awards to Mr. Patoulis for the recognition of his work in the Region of Attica, the Athens Medical Association, GDHI and Elitour and his contribution to Health and Wellness Tourism, as well as to Professor Kouskoukis, as the Father of Thermal Medicine, for the establishment of Thermal Medicine as Complementary Medicine. Awards were also given to Mr. Pantos, Mr. Polydorou and Mr. Sarigiannis for their great scientific work.
