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‘Santorini Experience’ Sports Tourism Event Earns International Distinction

Running at Santorini Experience. Photo by Vassilis Sfakianopoulos (GoPro).

Running at Santorini Experience. Photo by Vassilis Sfakianopoulos (GoPro).

5th Santorini Experience: October 4-6, 2019

Greek company Active Media was recently honored by the Travel & Hospitality Awards organization with the title of Unique Tour Company of the Year 2019 for the organization of the sports tourism event “Santorini Experience”, which takes place annually on Santorini. The event is a co-organization of the Municipality of Santorini and the Municipal Sports Cultural Environmental Organization of Santorini (DAPPOS).

Headquartered in London and powered by the Travel and Hospitality Magazine, the Travel and Hospitality Awards are a recognition of accomplishments across the travel industry. Recognising hotels, tour companies, travel buyers and influencers across six continents, it is a stamp of recognition for long-standing customer satisfaction.

5th edition of “Santorini Experience”

The “Santorini Experience” event will take place October 4-6, 2019, and organizers expect for the event once again to attract the interest of professional and amateur athletes of running and open water swimming from all around the world.

Online registrations for the event will open at the period of Christmas.

In its fifth year, the event has managed to reach its goal and contribute to the extension of Santorini’s tourism season. Citing data of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) and the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority, Active Media said that from 2016, when the “Santorini Experience” was moved to October, and onwards, the event contributed to the doubling of international airline arrivals at Santorini Airport from 17,143 in 2015 to 34,888 in 2018.

At the 2019 edition of the “Santorini Experience”, runners will once again have the chance to experience the three established routes – 5km, 10km and 15km – on the Caldera, while overlooking the volcano and the background scenery of Imerovigli, Firostefani and Oia. The running routes are designed by Greek former marathon runner, Nikos Polias.

Swimming at Santorini Experience. Photo by Babis Giritziotis.

Swimming at Santorini Experience. Photo by Babis Giritziotis.

A big part of the fifth “Santorini Experience” will be the open-water swimming competition, which gives participants the opportunity to swim from the volcano to the old port of Fira, with the imposing view of the island in front of them, in the 1.5 miles (2.4 km) race. The swimming route will take place under the direction of Nikos Gemelos, federal coach with Olympic and World Championship distinctions, who has designed the route. Lifeguards and lifeboats will be on location during the competition.

The open-water swimming event is part of the Global Swim Series (GSS), the world’s largest collection of open water swimming races. The GSS counts more than 150 swimming races and participants in the “Santorini Experience” will earn a global ranking, based equally on participation and speed.

It is also noted that the “Santorini Experience” has become part of the global community of World’s Marathons, a global marketplace for athletes who want to find new exciting races and for organizers who want to reach out to new participants. Counting more than 4,282 running races worldwide, the goal of the World’s Marathons is to promote amazing sport events around the world and inspire to a healthier lifestyle.

More info on the “Santorini Experience” can be found here.

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