A year after speaking at GES 2024, the Honorable Dina Titus, Member of Congress, First District of Nevada, shares her thoughts on the Greek Economic Summit and the country’s economic trajectory and prospects.
December 2, 2025
Dear Friends,
As a proud Greek-American legislator and member of the Congressional Hellenic Caucus, it is a pleasure to join you in marking the 36th Greek Economic Summit, the flagship forum of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce. This gathering serves as the premier platform for strategic dialogue on global economic and geopolitical developments. As the international landscape continuously shifts and economic and security threats evolve, you have played a role in cementing Greece as a powerhouse in the Eastern Mediterranean region and beyond.
Greece’s economic trajectory in the years following the financial crisis and the pandemic is nothing short of remarkable. Continuously outpacing many of its neighbors, Greece’s sustained growth in recent years has led to all major credit ratings agencies returning Greece to an investment-grade sovereign debt credit rating. In fact, GDP growth this year is expected to top 2.3 percent. Not only has Athens implemented vast structural reforms as part of the IMF loan conditions, but it has exceeded expectations by adopting several new laws to reduce unemployment, boost growth, and adopt international best practices, including full digitalization of government services.
I have been particularly encouraged by seeing Greece evolve from a country beset by economic hardship to a regional hub in various sectors, none more strategic than energy. With major investments in natural gas infrastructure, electricity grid interconnections and upgrades, and renewable energy, Greece has quickly become a guarantor of energy security and diversification. The Floating Storage Regassification Unit (FSRU) in Alexandroupoli provides Greece sufficient import capacity to replace nearly 20-25 percent of Russian gas still consumed in southeast and central Europe with US LNG. Similarly, the implementation of the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) will sustain this growth. IMEC also promises to be a boon to US-Greece mutual interests and solidify the Eastern Mediterranean as the strategic link between East and West. The region is emerging as a central hub for energy and infrastructure connecting Europe, the Middle East, and India. By continuing investment in its port infrastructure and rail connectivity, Greece will solidify its status as Europe’s gateway under this emerging framework.
While Greece’s economic outlook is clearly very positive, I want to warn about the potential for a shrinking tourism economy. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus and the Representative for Las Vegas, Nevada, I am keenly aware of the challenges a tourism-driven economy faces when there are shocks. Currently, in light of hefty tariffs President Trump has levied against the world and his rhetoric toward allies, Las Vegas is in the midst of a shrinking tourism sector; fewer people are visiting casinos, eating in restaurants, and attending shows in my district. While UN Tourism remains optimistic about the growth of global tourism through the end of this year, the larger economic picture is hazy, and multiple dynamics threaten the potential of tourism into 2026 and beyond. Greece, another economy that benefits from tourism, should take this into account and plan accordingly. Failing to do so could erase hard-won gains.
As a Senior Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I have been focused on advancing the US-Greece relationship by fostering dialogue, increasing business ties, and creating opportunities for greater collaboration in regional security and energy interconnectedness. The Greek Economic Summit is a prime forum for accomplishing each of these goals. Greece faces unprecedented opportunities, and I stand ready to help seize those for the benefit of our two countries. So, please call on me anytime.
Sincerely,
Dina Titus
Member of Congress
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Congresswoman Dina Titus has dedicated her entire professional life to education and public service.
She taught American and Nevada political science classes at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas for 34 years until her retirement in June 2011. A noted non-fiction writer, she is internationally known for her expertise in the history and policies related to nuclear power, weaponry, and waste.
Titus represented the people of Senate District 7 in the Nevada Legislature for 20 years, serving as the Nevada Senate Democratic Minority Leader from 1993 to 2008. First elected to the US House of Representatives in November 2008, she has served the First Congressional District of Nevada for more than a decade and is the dean of Nevada’s delegation. A persistent champion for average Nevadans, she has been rated one of the most effective Democratic members of the House of Representatives by the Center for Effective Lawmaking.
She serves as a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where she brings common-sense expertise to international problems, and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, where she serves as ranking member of a subcommittee that helps communities adapt to climate change and better respond to natural disasters.
Congresswoman Titus is a proud Greek American and serves as Vice Chair of the Hellenic Caucus in Congress, representing her heritage and fostering cooperation between the United States and Greece.