- Sebastian Ebel, CEO of TUI, attended the TUI SOCCA Champions League and SOCCA Aegean Cup in Rethymno.
- Over 2,000 participants from 35 countries and 14,000 overnight stays marked the end of Crete’s tourism season.
- Ebel urged Greece to expand its tourism season through events and better flight connectivity.
- He emphasized tourism’s role in fostering peace and understanding.
- The report was originally published by TornosNews.gr.
Rethymno became the meeting ground of tourism, sport, and peace this October as TUI CEO Sebastian Ebel visited the city for two major mini-football tournaments — the TUI SOCCA Champions League (October 17–20) and the SOCCA Aegean Cup (October 21–22).
The twin events drew 106 teams from 35 countries, bringing more than 2,000 athletes and a total of 14,000 overnight stays across 22 hotels — a much-needed boost at the tail end of the season.
In his exclusive interview with TornosNews.gr, Ebel called these gatherings “a model for how Crete can extend its season sustainably,” noting that “Greece has everything it takes to thrive year-round.”
“Crete offers exceptional quality — that is why it has grown so impressively,” he said. “It represents 30–40% of all TUI travelers to Greece. The island can, and should, play a central role in Greece’s winter tourism story.”
From Sports Tourism to Sustainable Growth
Ebel urged Cretan hoteliers and local authorities to create unique experiences and events to attract visitors beyond summer. “If you want to extend the season,” he said, “you must give travelers a reason to come. In winter, when the weather is less predictable, you need anchors: sports tournaments, cycling races, marathons, or cultural festivals and carnivals. Let us build a winter events calendar together.”
He also highlighted TUI Musement, a platform reaching up to 10 million users, as a powerful tool for promoting local experiences both to travelers already on the island and those planning their next trip.
Still, he cautioned that flight connectivity remains a major challenge. “Flights are the hardest issue. We need government support to launch winter routes,” Ebel said, warning that “raising taxes on tourism works against this goal.”
New Faces of Winter Tourism
Ebel described a changing traveler profile for the colder months — one that includes active tourists like cyclists and runners, retired Northern Europeans seeking mild climates and full-service stays, and even grandparents traveling with grandchildren.
“This is a growing segment,” he noted, “and we encourage hotels to invest in family-friendly services such as kids’ clubs.”
He reaffirmed that Greece remains one of TUI’s top five destinations, attracting over 3 million travelers annually, with Crete hosting more than one million of them. Despite economic strain in core markets such as Germany and the UK, TUI continues to grow in Poland, the Czech Republic, Romania, and Italy.
“The Czech market is a major success story,” Ebel said, adding that TUI is also expanding in Spain and Latin America — not just as destinations, but as source markets.
“Tourism Brings Peace”
At a dinner hosted at Grecotel’s Agrecofarm, attended by Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni and EOT General Secretary Andreas Fiorentinos, Ebel offered a deeply human reflection:
“We have all seen what happens in Ukraine and Palestine. These are painful realities, but I believe that tourism, beyond economic growth, contributes to peace. When people travel and talk, they do not reach for weapons,” he said.
“Tourism has a vital role to play — bringing understanding and peace among nations. Its value is underestimated, and we must make its contribution to peace visible, not just to the economy.”
Football, Families, and the Sea
Ebel also praised Rethymno’s hosting of the Socca tournament. “The atmosphere was wonderful. The field by the sea, the families in the stands, the amateurs playing with such passion — it was magic,” he said. “Tourism and football go hand in hand.”
When asked if he would return to Crete for leisure, his answer was simple: “If I manage to find a bit of free time — absolutely. October and November are magnificent months here.”
