Mindful Escape Tourism

Built by tourism professionals · 15+ years of B2B experience · 40,000+ industry contacts

Hospitality that goes all the way through

Mindful Escape Tourism is a global network uniting businesses that practice depth, authenticity, and intentional hospitality. Every quarter, membership puts your brand in front of 40,000+ travel agents, tour operators, and MICE organizers. Five clear principles, informed by insights from Neurotourism, the founder's own field of research into how travel shapes the mind.

Explore Membership Our philosophy
40,000+
Travel agents, tour operators & MICE organizers reached quarterly
15+
Years of B2B tourism experience
Presence
More time in each chosen place. The richness of a destination reveals itself to those who stay long enough to be still.
Encounter
Real connection with local people, food, and knowledge: not a curated performance of authenticity, but the thing itself.
Responsibility
Tourism that sustains the communities, landscapes, and cultures that make a destination worth visiting in the first place.
Why Mindful Escape Tourism

Travel that goes beyond the surface

Leave mass tourism behind and join a network of businesses that creates Rebirth. Return. Value.

Tourism is changing. Travellers today seek meaning, not consumption. Destinations and businesses that continue to operate under the model of 'more, faster, cheaper' lose their identity and exhaust their resources. MET introduces a new paradigm: more value, less depletion, and deeper regeneration.

The scientific foundations of Mindful Escape Tourism draw on Neurotourism, an independent field of research pioneered by the initiative's founder, which explores how travel experiences shape the traveller's mind and wellbeing.

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Differentiate
Your destination or business with an authentic, purpose driven brand.
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Showcase
The character and identity of your place through valuable, authentic experiences.
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Connect
Travellers, community, and professionals in a shared circle of value.
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Become a Member
An international membership that shows travel professionals your business shares the MET principles.
The Journey

The path to membership

Joining MET takes three simple steps. Complete the course, have a short conversation with a Recognised MET Expert, and if you are the right fit, become a member of the global network.

1
Apply & Learn
Apply for membership and get free access to the MET online course, to discover at your own pace how the five principles align with your business.
2
Meet
A short 10 minute online conversation with a Recognised MET Expert to confirm your alignment and readiness.
3
Join
Approved businesses become MET Members: they join the global network, receive their personalised Report, and the MET Member badge.
The MET Framework

Five principles that define Mindful Escape Tourism

MET is not a typical certification. It is an international recognition built around five fundamental principles. Each destination and business expresses these principles in its own way: through small, intentional actions that create real and lasting value.

Connection
Genuine bonds between travellers, local people, and the living identity of a place: not a performance, but an actual meeting.
Slowing Down
Choosing depth over volume. More time in each place. The richness of a destination reveals itself to those who stay long enough to be still.
Simplicity
Stripping away the unnecessary to reveal what is essential. Experiences designed around depth, not spectacle.
Silence & Space
Room to breathe, reflect, and be present. Creating the conditions for genuine rest and inner renewal.
Authenticity
Honest expression of a place, its people, its food, and its culture. No imitation, no shortcut: the thing itself, offered with care.
Membership

Annual membership, priced by region

Membership fees are adapted to the economic context of each region. The same recognition, the same framework, the same access: everywhere.

Category A
Western Europe · United States · Australia · Canada
700€
per year
Apply for membership
Category B
Eastern Europe · Mediterranean · Latin America · Middle East
425€
per year
Apply for membership
Category C
Africa · South Asia · Developing markets
215€
per year
Apply for membership

What every membership includes

Free online MET course for businesses applying for membership
Annual evaluation and improvement report
12-month presence on mindfulescapetourism.com
Featured in quarterly newsletter to 40,000+ travel professionals
Annual insights PDF delivered at the start of each year
Network presentation in the MET LinkedIn newsletter (2,770 subscribers)
MET badge for your website and social media
Free speaker slot at the annual MET online forum
The Network

MET Collection 2026

Historical Villa Santa Croce
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Historical Villa Santa Croce
Pyrgos, Santorini, Greece
Perched in the historic village of Pyrgos in Santorini, Historical Villa Santa Croce is a heritage accommodation that invites travellers to slow down and reconnect with the cultural soul of the island. Through curated sensory experiences such as the Santa Croce Sunset Ritual, guests engage with local wine, music, storytelling and landscape in an atmosphere of presence and reflection.

A 2026 MET Member for its thoughtful integration of the Mindful Escape Tourism philosophy.
MET Member 2026
WebsiteInstagram
Corazón de Agave
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Corazón de Agave
Barcelona, Spain · Oaxaca, Mexico
Corazón de Agave, founded by Blanca Pérez, offers small group cultural and gastronomic journeys that reveal the living traditions of Oaxaca. Through encounters with local cooks, artisans and markets, travellers experience Mexican culture through food, craft and respectful human connection.

A 2026 MET Member for its authentic alignment with the Mindful Escape Tourism philosophy.
MET Member 2026
Cerchio del Desiderio
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Cerchio del Desiderio
Abruzzo, Italy
Nestled in the heart of Abruzzo, Cerchio del Desiderio is an agri wellness retreat devoted to nature, stillness, and the rhythm of the land. Through yoga, eco spa rituals, and seasonal harvest experiences, it offers a space for a true pause and grounded presence.

A 2026 MET Member for its consistent integration of the Mindful Escape Tourism philosophy.
MET Member 2026
WebsiteInstagramFacebook
Justice Is Justice Adventures
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Justice Is Justice Adventures
Malawi
Justice Is Justice Adventures brings forward the living cultural heritage of Malawi through authentic village based experiences and lakeside cultural nights. With a strong focus on community connection, learning, and participation, it creates journeys that are deeply human and rooted in place.

A 2026 MET Member for its strong alignment with the principles of Mindful Escape Tourism.
MET Member 2026
InstagramFacebook
Driftwood Eco Villa
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Driftwood Eco Villa
Kefalonia, Greece
Nestled within a 4,000 m² plot of olive, lemon and fig trees just steps from the sea, Driftwood Eco Villa is a place where time moves differently. Built from wood and stone in harmony with the Kefalonian landscape, every detail, from the handcrafted driftwood décor and natural Cocomat bedding to the EU Eco awarded private pool and olive oil bathroom amenities, reflects a deep commitment to simplicity, authenticity and care for the environment.

Hosts Maria and Dennis have created more than a place to stay. They have shaped an experience that invites guests to slow down, breathe, and reconnect: with nature, with the island, and with themselves.
MET Member 2026
WebsiteInstagramFacebook
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Your business here
Applications open for 2026 membership.
Apply now
The MET Lexicon

Five concepts that shape the mindful travel experience

These are the building blocks that MET member businesses weave into their hospitality: creating experiences that go beyond the transactional.

Silent Practices

Silence as a tool for travel experience; creating space for inner peace, heightened observation, and deeper connection with the destination.

Immersive Reflection

Activities and experiences that lead the traveler to authentic contact with the place and with themselves, through reflection and presence in the moment.

Nature Anchors

Elements of nature: a tree, a spring, a horizon: used as anchors for awareness, pause, and mindful breathing.

Inner Journey

The inner journey that accompanies the outer trip; the personal transformation that emerges through a Mindful Escape.

Mindful Escape Host

The host who cultivates the right environment for travelers; not just offering accommodation, but facilitating experiences of mindfulness, silence, and authentic connection.

The People

The Founder, the MET Voices & the Recognised MET Experts

Maria Athanasopoulou
Maria Athanasopoulou
Founder

Mindful Escape Tourism was created by Maria Athanasopoulou, a professional with many years of experience in tourism and an active voice in international initiatives. Her vision was simple: to bring back depth, authenticity, and human connection into the way we travel. Through her work she has inspired travelers, destinations, and professionals to see tourism not as consumption but as a path of renewal: for the traveler, for the place, and for the professional.

Maria is also the author of the Mindful Escape series (Travel, Living, Business), where she explores how the principles of Rebirth. Return. Value. can be applied in everyday life, in work, and in travel.

MET Voices

Estefano Onatrac
Estefano Onatrac
Fine Art & Food/Travel Photographer · Architectural Visual Storyteller · Slow Photography · DxO Ambassador
Sofia Costa
Sofia Costa
Responsible Tourism Advocate & Mentor · Sustainable Tourism · Entrepreneurship
Guy Dusselier
Guy Dusselier
Certified Travel Coach (The Travel Coach Network) · Certified Life Coach (Mindvalley / Evercoach)
Susanne Stukenberg
Susanne Stukenberg
Travel Curator · Travelconcepts · Responsible Travel
Tryfonas Kioutoutskas
Tryfonas Kioutoutskas
International Hospitality background · dedicated to the values of Rebirth. Return. Value. · Voice for MET in Greece and Cyprus
Kay Walten
Kay Walten
Trust strategist for independent hotels, rentals, and destinations
Lucia Galanti
Lucia Galanti
Digital · Graphic · Motion Designer · Helping businesses turn complex ideas into clear, engaging visual experiences

Recognised MET Experts

Lucia Galanti
Lucia Galanti
Recognised MET Expert
Digital · Graphic · Motion Designer
Maria Petrenko
Maria Petrenko
Recognised MET Expert
Diagnostic consulting and interim strategy projects
Lynn Benda
Lynn Benda
Recognised MET Expert
Adult Education · Public Speaking · FVW Top Under 30 · Content Creation · Tourism
Susanne Stukenberg
Susanne Stukenberg
Recognised MET Expert
Travel Curator · Responsible Travel
Recognised MET Expert

Bring the MET standard to the tourism businesses and regions you work with

A Recognised MET Expert is a tourism professional or organisation that knows its local market and represents MET in its region. The MET training is free. Experts guide tourism businesses and destinations of their region through the membership process and earn 30% of every annual membership they bring in. Recognised MET Experts may also be invited to collaborate on international cooperation projects in which MET takes part.

30%
annual commission on every membership you bring: recurring, for as long as the business remains a member
1
Complete the free MET training
A self paced course covering the philosophy, the five pillars, and the evaluation methodology.
2
Pass the MET assessment
A practical assessment to confirm you can apply the MET framework with confidence in real tourism business contexts.
3
Bring your first member
Bring a business or destination from your region. A short online session is followed by a structured evaluation, submitted to MET for final review.
4
Earn your recurring commission
30% of the annual membership fee, every year the business renews. Your portfolio grows as you bring more members.
Apply to become a MET Expert
MET Learning Resources

Deepen your knowledge

Online Course
Influencers & Neurotourism

A self paced program on Notion exploring emotional storytelling, sensory design, and neuro impact in tourism. Includes mini tests, real case studies, and a certification.

Enroll Course
eBook · €15 + VAT
Mindful Escape Tourism: The Birth of a New Model of Travel

A guide of 37 pages by Maria Athanasopoulou covering the philosophy, design principles, and business applications of Mindful Escape Tourism.

Buy Now
For Your Business
MET Staff Course

A tailored training program for your team. Send us your business name, website, and number of employees and we will send you a proposal immediately.

Email us at respondondemand@gmail.com

Join 40,000 travel professionals who follow the Mindful Escape movement

Quarterly updates on the network, new members, and the state of intentional tourism.

Apply for Membership

Join the MET network

Tell us about your business and we will be in touch to guide you through the next steps.

We will review your application and contact you within 5 business days.

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Application received

Thank you for your interest in Mindful Escape Tourism. We will review your details and be in touch within 5 business days.