On May 8, 2025, Mayor Manolis Menegakis’ proposal for new state-of-the-art tourism education facilities in Agios Nikolaos received the green light from the Ministry of Tourism. The project, valued at approximately 8.5 million euros, aims to upgrade the Higher School of Tourism Education of Crete (A.S.T.E.K.)
There comes a time when a mayor stares at a tired old school and thinks, “What if… we built something that’s actually modern?” This week, Agios Nikolaos took a leap toward educational glory, or at least a carefully calculated step on a paved path. The Ministry of Tourism nodded along, proving miracles happen outside spreadsheets.
- The Ministry of Tourism accepted the mayor’s plan for new, modern facilities for the Higher School of Tourism Education of Crete (A.S.T.E.K.).
- The site for the new development sits on municipal land near the Department of Administrative Science and Technology of Hellenic Mediterranean University.
- The school has run since 1995 in Agios Nikolaos, with unwavering local support.
- The project aims to secure more student accommodation and upgrade teaching infrastructure.
- The estimated investment is around €8.5 million, funded by a mixture of public, private, and possibly EU money.
- Both the local government and the national ministry claim this will “secure the future of tourism education” in the region.
- Officials have promised swift action to finalize agreements and start construction.
How To Keep Tourism Schools From Falling Over
The Higher School of Tourism Education of Crete has managed to stand firm since 1995 despite every effort from time and budget cuts to make it otherwise. Now, that same endurance is being rewarded with plans for actual, new buildings. These buildings might even feature roofs that don’t leak and chairs that don’t squeak with existential dread.
Mayor Manolis Menegakis, a man never seen without a blueprint or a quote at the ready, sent the proposal to Athens. In his words, “The announcement by the Minister of Tourism opens the way for the complete upgrade of the School and firmly establishes its presence in Agios Nikolaos.” It’s the optimism usually reserved for May lottery winners and weather forecasts.
The only thing missing? More students. The school, armed with new facilities, expects an enrolment boost. In theory, these future tourism professionals will fill hotels and cafés across the region, giving the local economy that most precious commodity: staff who know the difference between a cocktail menu and a cleaning schedule.
Who’s Paying, and What Will Change?
The answer: possibly everyone. According to the General Secretary for Tourism Policy and Development, Vasia Koutsoukou, funding will come from every available source—public, private, and maybe even grandma’s savings, if she’s in the mood.
Koutsoukou, calm as someone who’s never seen a construction delay, assured the room, “The agreement between the Municipality and the Ministry of Tourism is ready and will be signed soon.” She even ventured a price: around €8.5 million. As for the timeline, expect things to move at bureaucratic speed—fast enough to generate headlines, slow enough to avoid panic.
The Grand Vision: A School With a Future
The plan received public praise at the event on May 8, 2025, packed with government officials and at least one enthusiastic notary. The project does not settle for small fixes. It dreams big: a total overhaul for the Higher School of Tourism Education of Crete, modern standards, and enough space so students can learn somewhere other than the local café.
Mayor Menegakis summed it up—without irony—by saying, “Through this planning, the Municipality of Agios Nikolaos responds to the central vision for the comprehensive upgrade of Tourism Education in our country.”
It sounds dramatic, but stranger things have happened. If built, the new campus could make tourism training in Eastern Crete feel less like a compromise and more like a career move.
The Greek version can be found here for those who prefer official announcements.
[…] Energy upgrades for units such as SAEK Galaxidi are underway, and an agreement signals the birth of a new tourism education center in Agios Nikolaos. These efforts are funded via public investment, European funds, and targeted collaborations with […]