The island destination of Crete, the largest of the islands forming part of modern Greece, has forayed into the Indian market to tap the burgeoning outbound travel segment.
While destinations like Athens, Santorini and Mykonos in Greece are popular choices among Indian travellers, Crete is keen to welcome them for its variety landscapes, rich history, and vibrant culture.
Nikos Alexakis, Head of the Tourism Directorate for the Region of Crete, spoke to TravelBiz Monitor at OTM in Mumbai. He said, “We are keen to get tourists from India, whether it is for leisure, MICE or weddings. However, absence of direct flight connectivity is a key hurdle. However, we are hopeful that Indian tourists will combine their visit to Crete with Athens, Santorini and Mykonos.”
While on a single visit to Crete, it is advisable to spend six to seven nights exploring the destination. Currently, Indian nationals can use the Gulf hubs of Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Istanbul to reach Crete with a flying time of 7-9 hours.
“To create awareness about the destination, we would like to organise FAM trips for the travel agents, e-learning programmes for front line staff to under the product better,” he added.