Aris Spiliotopoulos
A New Democracy stalwart who navigated Greece's turbulent political landscape, serving as both Tourism Minister and Education Minister during a pivotal decade.
Born 1966 (age 60)·Greek politician·Birthday: October 28·Generation X
Biography
Aris Spiliotopoulos emerged as a steady hand within Greece's center-right New Democracy party during the politically volatile 2000s. Elected to parliament, his technocratic competence led to his appointment as Minister for Tourism in 2007, where he faced the challenge of promoting Greece's sun-and-sea brand amid a gathering global economic storm. In a cabinet reshuffle in January 2009, he was given one of the government's most sensitive portfolios: Minister of National Education and Religious Affairs. His tenure was brief but intense, coinciding with the final months before the debt crisis that would reshape Greek society. Spiliotopoulos's career reflects the experience of a party loyalist who held the line during both prosperous and profoundly difficult times for the nation.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Aris was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Aris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Served as the Greek Minister for National Education and Religious Affairs in 2009.
- Held the position of Minister for Tourism from 2007 to 2009, overseeing the sector before the economic crisis.
- Has been a member of the Hellenic Parliament for the New Democracy party representing the Athens B constituency.
Did You Know?
He studied law at the University of Athens before entering politics.
He served as a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
His father, Georgios Spiliotopoulos, was also a politician and former Minister for Public Order.
“Our tourism must be built on real quality, not just postcard images.”
