Tourism | Promoting Crete in the Arabian Gulf

With the strategic goal of strengthening Crete’s presence in the markets of the Arabian Gulf, Asia, and Africa, the Region of Crete actively participated in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which took place from April 28 to May 1, 2025, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

ATM is the largest tourism exhibition in the Middle East, and this year brought together more than 2,800 exhibitors and over 55,000 tourism professionals from all over the world. The Region of Crete took advantage of the opportunity for targeted contacts with tour operators and organizations, showcasing the advantages of the island as a destination for luxury holidays, nature activities, and family experiences.

Particular interest was recorded from the market of the United Arab Emirates and neighboring countries, where high tourist spending is an attractive factor for Crete. The inclusion of Heraklion among the new destinations of the airline Saudia for the summer of 2025, with a direct flight from Jeddah, is also indicative of the growing potential of the destination.

In the context of the exhibition, a meeting was held between the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, and the Deputy Regional Governor of Tourism of Crete, Kyriakos Kotsoglou. The focus of the discussion was the strengthening of Crete's presence in the Arabian Gulf, as well as the possibilities for the island's further penetration into the UAE market, both in terms of tourism and investment.

The Region of Crete was represented by the Deputy Regional Governor for Tourism, Kyriakos Kotsoglou, the Regional Councillor, Giorgos Papadakis, the Head of the Tourism Department of the Heraklion Regional Council, Eleni Vougioukalaki, and the tourism executive Marina Tsaparidis.

In his statement from Dubai, Mr. Kotsoglou underlined:

"Every year, and better with our presence in the hub of the Arabian Peninsula, which is Dubai. We are "building" our recognition. We saw the Saudia flight to Heraklion, which is already sold out – this is a plus for Crete, which is coming closer to the Arabian Gulf. Crete everywhere!".

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