A clear picture of what entrepreneurship in Fthiotida really looks like was presented by Chrysostomos Karellis, President of the Fthiotida Chamber of Commerce, during his address in the first thematic session of the Thermopylae Forum 2026, titled “The Next Major Investment Is the Region.”
As he noted, a recent analysis of data from the Chamber’s business registry showed that the vast majority of businesses in the area are small and micro-enterprises, primarily operating in trade and services, followed, to a lesser extent, by manufacturing. Most are sole proprietorships, while only a small number are public limited companies.
“We are therefore dealing with an entrepreneurial landscape that is predominantly made up of small businesses, and we need to give them the opportunities they need to grow,” he stressed.
According to Mr. Karellis, this situation raises a clear question: how does the State envision the future of Fthiotida?
He added that, in order to provide a meaningful response, there needs to be a development agreement accepted by all stakeholders. As he put it, development will come through “guidance from the central government, but also through our own cooperation on a development plan that we have all agreed upon.”
What is needed, he added, is a clear focus, a consistent direction and meaningful support for micro-enterprises, which form the backbone of the local economy.
In this context, the President of the Fthiotida Chamber of Commerce stressed that the region needs an inflow of external capital, new investments, a stronger tourism sector and a strong university — four pillars that can transform Fthiotida’s development profile and help retain its human capital in the region.
Through his remarks, Chrysostomos Karellis highlighted that regional development cannot be limited to fragmented initiatives, but requires clear objectives, coordination among stakeholders and specific policy choices that will create the right conditions for attracting investment and creating new, high-quality and better-paid jobs in Fthiotida.
