- The Region of Crete participated in the International & French Travel Market – TOP Resa in Paris, from September 23 to 25.
- France is the island’s third-largest market, with arrivals expected to reach around 500,000 by 2025.
- Regional officials met with tour operators, airlines, and tourism leaders to extend the season and spread visitors across Crete.
The TOP Resa exhibition in Paris is not a place for postcards and ouzo samples. It is the heavyweight of the French tourism calendar: 34,000 professionals, 1,700 exhibitors, and 160 countries under one roof. Into this fray walked the Region of Crete, armed with brochures, schedules, and the hope that French travelers will keep their love affair with the island alive well past August.
Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni, EOT officials, and even the Greek Ambassador dropped by the Cretan stand, a reminder that tourism diplomacy is best conducted under fluorescent lights with coffee in paper cups.
Numbers Speak French
According to the Bank of Greece, French arrivals to Crete are on the upswing. Nationally, travel receipts from France rose by about 15% in the first seven months of the year—even as overall arrivals to Greece dipped slightly. For Crete, 2025 is expected to close with half a million French visitors, and early signals for 2026 suggest the trend will hold.
Regional Tourism Vice Governor Dr. Kyriakos Kotsoglou put it plainly:
“Looking to 2026, the Region of Crete strengthens its presence in the French market, which already for 2025 approaches 500,000 arrivals. The French appreciate Crete’s diversity, nature, and culture, and promise another year of growth.’
And Michalis Klontzas, Tourism Delegate for Lasithi, added the more classic line:
“At every international fair, our goal is to highlight Crete as a leading global destination. The French market interests us particularly, and the forecasts for 2026 are excellent.”
Beyond the Season
Behind the formalities, the strategy is clear: a 365-day tourism approach. The Region’s delegation—Kotsoglou, Klontzas, Eleni Maraki Beladaki, Nikos Alexakis, and Maria Lavdaki—spent three days courting tour operators and airlines to fill the island not only in July but also in November and March.
Whether this ambition translates into year-round charter flights or just another busy summer remains to be seen. But for now, Crete is betting that Parisian promises can stretch the season and put more villages, not just beaches, on the French traveler’s map.
