The municipal government strives to make Heraklion a year-round tourist destination, capitalising on its unique blend of culture, history, food, and natural beauty. The Municipality of Heraklion intends to enhance these assets through strategic interventions and infrastructural enhancements to establish the Municipality as a year-round tourism destination, attracting foreign and local visitors.
However, the initiative has several hurdles, including upgrading road networks, semi-mountainous infrastructure, aesthetic renovations, and promoting each region’s unique customs. As thematic tourism grows in popularity, improving conference and sporting facilities is critical. Fortunately, Heraklion’s quality of life, pristine environment, superb agricultural goods, Cretan food, and famed hospitality are well-established assets.
Deputy Mayor for Tourism Giorgos Agrimanakis revealed that the master plan is rapidly taking shape now that the Municipality has resolved budgetary issues. Earlier this year, the Municipality had to take a 27 million euro loan to address its financial shortfall for the year 2024. Priorities include identifying areas for immediate improvement, planning, and implementation. Ongoing collaboration with domestic and international tourism agents is underway.
The overarching goal is to harmonise the developed economy of urban and rural Heraklion, benefiting commerce and the micro-economy of every corner of the regional unit.
Heraklion has unique characteristics. It cannot become a tourist village. We must strategically plan tourism for the coming years, overcoming infrastructure deficiencies and unlocking the city’s potential.
Deputy Mayor for Tourism Giorgos Agrimanakis
Kalokairinos underscored the close cooperation between the Municipal Authority and the Ministry of Culture, including active participation in the procedures for including Knossos in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list and the programming contract expected to grant the Municipality utilization of the Venetian walls.
The Minister of Tourism, in anticipation of an upcoming meeting with the mayor, highlighted the goal of qualitative and sustainable tourism development, the opportunities provided by the Recovery and Resilience Fund, the role of culture in tourism development, and the tightening of regulations governing the short-term rental market through the imposition of specific operational specifications.