Next Saturday, March 22, the gates of Crete’s top business event will open, which brings together representatives of the agricultural and manufacturing sectors with tourism.
The preparations for this innovative, nationwide action have been completed with significant participation and mutual interest in cooperation during the new tourist season.
In this year’s 13th Pan-Cretan Forum for the Promotion of Cretan Products in Cretan Hotels and Distribution Networks – Super Markets, 227 producers and processors of agricultural products, 28 processors from the craft sector, 71 hotel groups representing 249 hotels, 3 supermarkets, 9 Distribution Networks and 2 catering businesses have registered to participate.
The Forum will be held at the INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION CENTER OF CRETE (ICEC) in Gournes, Heraklion with participation from all over Crete and will include meetings for the distribution of fresh and processed Cretan agricultural products to Cretan hotels and the local market, through distribution networks – supermarkets, as well as meetings with artisans, processors and other products related to tourism (e.g. packaging, cleaning products, equipment, etc.), in order to provide the opportunity to expand cooperation with other sectors of the local economy, other than the agri-food sector.
The 13th Pan-Cretan Forum is organized this year again by the four Chambers of Crete, the Hoteliers’ Associations of Crete and the Pan-Cretan Association of Hotel Managers, with the support and under the auspices of the Central Union of Chambers of Greece and the Region of Crete.
The project has been a great success over the past 12 years, has been awarded at the European level, and is now an institution for the local market, as it has enabled many hoteliers to procure local products directly from producers, building an economic partnership with multiple benefits for both parties.
The Pan-Cretan Forum – which began in 2012 at the initiative of the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce – includes short meetings between representatives of hotels and distribution networks with farmers, livestock breeders, processors, professionals, and artisans at pre-arranged appointments, as well as product displays in specially designed rooms.
“The Pan-Cretan Forum is now an institution for the local economy, the value of which is reaped by all participants, as they have the unique opportunity to meet in the same place, during one day, many of their future partners,” emphasized the President of the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Vangelis Karkanakis, and underlined that “the data show that the foundations have been laid for long-term and recurring collaborations, which proves the importance of this institution, which we support and work to upgrade.”
Participation in the Pan-Cretan Forum is free for those who register by 2/28.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
