Crete Travel Agencies Call for Actions Ahead of New Year

Chania, Crete. Photo © leoks / Shutterstock

The Western Crete Travel Agencies Association is calling on all stakeholders in tourism to focus on addressing pending issues in view of the new year and the forthcoming tourism season.

“Another good year for Greek tourism has come to an end and once again in times of crisis, the sector has become a pillar of support in terms of revenue, employment and social cohesion. The time has now come to examine ways to make our product more competitive, more profitable for businesses and for society as a whole,” the association said in a statement.

Citing 2017 tourist arrival figures and Chania’s 10-month figures at 1,093,455 against a total of 1,048,872 in 2016, the association is also forecasting a record year in 2018 for the island.

Top priorities for 2018 include increasing average traveler spending, extending the tourist season, improving infrastructure and services and safeguarding resources.

For the Chania region, the travel agents are calling for dialogue and cooperation on issues such as traffic management, the promotion of locally produced goods, and tapping into the town’s cultural offerings and sites of interest. Other pressing issues include urban sanitation and upgrading Souda port infrastructure in order to tap into to marine tourism and cruise travel.