Crete Attracts the Crowds at Salon Mondial Tourism Expo in Paris

The Vice Governor for Tourism Kyriakos Kotsoglou showing the map of Crete at a group of French visitors.

The island of Crete features high among the preferences of French visitors, the Region of Crete said following its participation in the Salon Mondial du Tourisme exhibition in Paris.

Held at Paris Expo Porte de Versailles from March 14 to 17, the Salon Mondial tourism exhibition is the annual meeting place for travel enthusiasts looking for ideas and advice for their next vacation.

According to Kyriakos Kotsoglou, Vice Governor for Tourism at the Region of Crete, the island’s stand at the expo, which showcased the beauties and tourism offerings of Crete, attracted the interest of many French travelers.

According to Kotsoglou, the French market has been steadily third in arrivals to Crete over the past few years.

“This market highly appreciates the diversity of the island,” the vice governor said.

According to the region, many visitors to Crete’s stand had already booked their holidays to Crete, while others wanted to learn the ideal period to visit the island without bustling crowds. Their interest was focused on the activities and attractions of the island, with many of them wishing to combine their holiday with hiking.

Moreover, solo travelers, primarily women, expressed an interest in staying in villages to experience the authentic Cretan way of life and nutrition, which is also a major factor in selecting a destination for holidays.

On the sidelines of the exhibition, the region’s officials spoke with representatives of French travel shows as well as travel bloggers who are keen to promote Crete to the French public.

Over 400 exhibitors of tourism professionals, travel agencies, tourist offices and accommodation participated in this year’s Salon Mondial du Tourisme.