Stavros Arnaoutakis, Regional Governor of Crete

Philoxenia 2014 greeting.

In regions such as Crete and due to the economic crisis, society has comprehended that tourism is the island’s “heavy” industry. That is why we have been serving and supporting this dynamic and creative sector since the first day we took office in the Region of Crete in 2010.

In collaboration with all stakeholders on Crete, we raised the bar high and set the main goals by developing our strategic plan for the island’s further tourism evolvement.

In 2013, Greek tourism recorded positive results, despite the difficulties and uncertainties stemming from the global economic crisis. The results confirmed existing expectations and indicated clearly that tourism can be a key factor to the recovery of the Greek economy.

Our island has much to offer concerning alternative forms of tourism such as religious, walking tours, nature-based, scientific, medical, sports, marine and gastronomy.

Now, it is necessary to launch a new business philosophy dedicated to quality and focused on marketing.

During the past two years we have recorded all of the island’s comparative advantages and are making an effort for their ideal exploitation and promotion, both through targeted actions as well as through thematic institutions abroad.

The Strategic Plan for the Primary sector of the Region of Crete, which has already been approved by the Regional Council, is the first integrated tool that can meet the need for immediate extroversion of the Cretan economy to international markets, with certain quantitative and qualitative results.

We are highlighting the quality of Cretan products through the collective brand name “Crete,” strengthening their place in domestic and foreign markets.

Our further goals in the Region of Crete include the preservation of the strong points that have established the island on the global tourism map, while we continue to upgrade our tourism product by developing actions and launching initiatives that aim to improve the quality level of our services.

Challenges are before us and, with globalization facing us, we are asked to preserve our diversity, tradition and culture on the one hand and to adapt to the new conditions of competition and of the open and wider market on the other. The developments on a European and global level require from all to support tourism as one of the leading pillars of the national economy.

This is the basis according to which we form our strategy. It is not a coincidence that, in recent years, the tourism promotion of Crete abroad by the Region has received major distinctions-awards and has contributed to the strengthening of our exports.