- Crete showcased its travel offerings at Dubai’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM)
- Focused on drawing visitors from the Arabian Gulf, Asia, and Africa
- Over 2,800 exhibitors and 55,000 professionals attended
- Conversations highlighted luxury escapes, adventure, and family holidays
- The addition of a direct Heraklion-Jeddah flight signals rising demand
- Emphasis on attracting tourists and investment from the UAE
Saffron Sunsets and Sandstone Towers Meet: Crete’s Tourism Story Unfolds in the Gulf
This spring, while the Mediterranean woke up from its winter nap, the bold emissaries of Crete found themselves swapping seafood tavernas for sky-high towers in Dubai. The mission? To cast a little Cretan sunlight across the Arabian Gulf, Asia, and Africa. All roads, it seems, led to the famous Arabian Travel Market (ATM)—a dizzying whirlwind where more than 2,800 businesses mingled beneath the city’s futuristic skyline and 55,000 travel enthusiasts drifted from booth to booth, fueled by coffee and big dreams.
There’s something classic about Crete’s charm—sun-drenched beaches, olive groves as far as the eye can see, ruins with stories older than most languages. At the ATM, Crete’s tourism team stepped out with maps, museum brochures, and enough local secrets to charm even the most jet-lagged travel agent. Their message was simple: Crete isn’t just another postcard. It’s an invitation. Picture luxury villas, salt-kissed breezes, and feasts that linger long after dessert. Word quickly spread through the crowd, especially among those hunting for exclusive escapes, active adventures, or a spot to let the kids run wild.
Face-to-Face With Future Travelers: Stories, Deals, and a New Direct Flight
Between sips of strong coffee, Crete’s delegates met with agents from every corner of the travel world. Some talks felt like swapping family recipes, others like planning a heist—except the treasure in question was a quiet beach near Elounda. Crete’s tourism stand buzzed with stories and promises, each more enticing than the last.
With the Arabian Gulf market’s reputation for generous holiday budgets, attention was high. And there, in the middle of this momentum, came big news: Saudia Airlines would debut nonstop flights from Jeddah to Heraklion in the summer of 2025. No complicated layover in sight—pack your suitcase, skip the jet lag, and wake up where Minotaurs once roamed. Even if you don’t believe in monsters, there’s a certain poetry in that.
Crete and the Gulf: New Chapters and Lasting Ties
The week wasn’t all chatter and pamphlets. Behind closed doors, Greece’s Minister of Tourism and Crete’s Deputy Regional Governor met to trade updates and plot new connections between the island and UAE travelers—and investors. Both sides left with handshakes (and probably a few WhatsApp exchanges), ready to build bridges between Crete’s layered history and the Gulf’s appetite for fresh opportunity.
Among the Cretan team were Deputy Governor Kyriakos Kotsoglou, Regional Councilor Giorgos Papadakis, the ever-efficient Eleni Vougioukalaki from the Tourism Department, and Marina Tsaparidi, who kept spirits high and plans on track.
