7 years of “Tourism Partnership for Chania”: Positive review with an eye on the future

On the occasion of completing seven years of action, the “Tourism Partnership for Chania” held its anniversary review at a special event on Monday, May 5, 2025, at the “Minoa Palace Resort”. Along with the review, strategies for sustainable tourism development in the future were also discussed.

The role of cooperation in sustainable development

Mr. Manolis Stamatakis, President of the Association of Hoteliers of Chania Prefecture, underlined the importance of synergies with bodies such as Marketing Greece, Aegean, Eurobank, Fraport Greece, and the Greek National Tourist Organization, highlighting the positive results that the common strategy has yielded.

He made special mention of the Region of Crete, as well as the human resources of the hotels that work in a working environment with rules and collective agreements, even in the difficult years of the memoranda.

Focus on quality and expansion of the tourism model

The President of the Chania Tourism Association referred to the need for qualitative results, far from simple numerical targets, through the strengthening of alternative forms of tourism. The goal is to spread the benefits inland and extend the season.

Honorary distinction for Manolis Giannoulis

The Honorary President of the Chania Prefecture Hoteliers Association, Mr. Manolis Giannoulis, was awarded an honorary distinction for his contribution to the creation of the Partnership. He praised the contribution of Marketing Greece and the strategic partners, who laid the foundations for the successful tourism promotion of Chania.

Marketing Greece’s Report

Ms. Rena Skouloudi, Senior Marketing Strategist at Marketing Greece, presented the report on the Partnership’s work, highlighting the multiplier benefits of joint actions and joining forces.

Discussion on the Destination’s Tomorrow

Subsequently, the collaborating bodies shared their vision for the future of Chania:

• Nikos Diamantopoulos (Marketing Greece): He spoke about the importance of synergy and common understanding in tourism planning.
• Eleni Mitraki (GNTO): He focused on thematic tourism and the role of culture and gastronomy.
• Kyriakos Papadakis (EX Chania): He highlighted the value of communication and rapid response, as demonstrated during the pandemic.
• George Vilos (Fraport Greece): He emphasized the strategic promotion and the tangible results of the project.
• Marina Valvi (AEGEAN): He expressed her satisfaction with the course of the cooperation and its contribution to the development trajectory of Chania.
• Efthimios Lampadiaris (Eurobank): He highlighted the strategic importance of tourism for the bank and the commitment to support infrastructure and investments.

Authentic experiences as a pillar of development

The panel entitled “Experiences and authenticity in Chania” was attended by professionals and representatives of culture and the creative economy, such as Messrs. Petrakis, Kourakis, Psychogios, and Kourkounakis. The discussion highlighted the uniqueness of the prefecture’s tourism product.

“Sustainability Session”: The sustainable tourism path

The last part of the event, entitled “Sustainability Session”, hosted interventions by Messrs. Thanos (SETE), Pappas (GSTC), Sampson (Travel Foundation), and Paterakis (DEDISA), who focused on the need to implement sustainable practices and the challenges facing Greek tourism.

Greetings and Attendance

Greetings were delivered by the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ms. Anna Karamanli (via video), the Member of Parliament of Chania, Mr. Alexandros Markogiannakis, and the Deputy Governor of Chania, Mr. Nikos Kalogeris. Representatives of the Local Government, tourism organizations and entrepreneurs were present.

The event was coordinated by the journalist, Ms. Marina Giakoumaki.

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report