Greece Strengthens Ties with Emirates to Expand Presence in Key Source Markets

Dimitris Fragakis, GNTO’s Secretary General; Adnan Kazim, Emirates Deputy President, and Chief Commercial Officer; and Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe. Photo source: GNTO

The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Emirates to boost visits to Greece from key source markets.

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of ITB Berlin 2024 trade show by GNTO Secretary General Dimitris Fragakis and Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations.

Emirates currently serves Greece with one daily flight between Dubai and Athens, as well as beyond to Newark. The flight is operated by a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

According to the MoU signed at ITB, Emirates will support the Greek travel and tourism industry by boosting traffic from top inbound markets including the US, the UAE, Australia, India and China, to Greece through the exploration of joint marketing activities and campaigns.

The Mou was signed by Dimitris Fragakis, GNTO’s Secretary General and Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe. Also present during the ceremony was Adnan Kazim, Emirates Deputy President, and Chief Commercial Officer. Photo source: GNTO

“Emirates, with its global reach and reputation for excellence, is the perfect ally in expanding our presence in key source markets and connecting with audiences who appreciate the richness of Greece’s cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, warm hospitality and high quality services,” GNTO’s Secretary General Dimitris Fragakis said.

The airline will look at ways to support the country’s efforts to build more awareness of Greece as a brand, in line with the GNTO’s 2024 vision and objectives.

“Through strategic initiatives with Emirates, we are confident in our ability to captivate a global audience and invite them to explore the beauty and richness of Greece in every season,” Fragakis added.

The new agreement underscores Emirates’ long-term business objectives for the market as it continues to serve the already robust international travel demand to Greece.

Emirates Boeing 777-300ER aircraft at Athens International Airport. Photo source: AIA

On his part, Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Operations Adnan Kazim said the airline looks forward to working with the GNTO to strengthen tourism in Greece.

“This agreement is a testament of our commitment to grow connectivity in the Greek market where we have been present since 1996… We’re confident that our collaborative effort will encourage travellers to visit the beautiful sights and attractions that the country has to offer,” he said.

Emirates since 1996 has so far carried more than 4.5 million passengers between Athens and Dubai and beyond to the airline’s global network.

Last year, Emirates activated a codeshare agreement with Greek air carrier, AEGEAN, allowing its customers to connect to eight Greek domestic destinations: Corfu, Chania, Heraklion, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis via Athens, using a single ticket and convenient baggage policy. The additional connectivity offers more choice and flexibility for travellers to Greece which further contributes to increased inbound traffic from Emirates’ global network to the popular European destination.