A 5% increase in tourist arrivals has been recorded in Crete this year, however the economic benefits are not commensurate with the volume of visitors. This paradoxical phenomenon, which has begun to become apparent in recent years, is of great concern to tourism professionals on the island.
Michalis Vlatakis, president of the Association of Tourist and Travel Agents of Crete, in his statements to the radio station SKAI Crete 92.1, stressed that despite the increase in arrivals, revenue remains stagnant: “We have more tourists but less money. Visitors are spending more conservatively, while prices in many markets, such as Portugal, remain more competitive. It is not enough to count heads, we need to see how we can increase tourism spending.”
According to him, travelers are staying fewer days and spending less, which leads to lower profits for hotels and businesses. “The goal is not to simply fill the rooms, but to manage to get more value from each visitor. To buy, to try, to live experiences,” he emphasized.
The president of the travel agents also sounded the alarm for the autumn period, pointing out that September and October may close with lower occupancy rates compared to 2023. “If we want to keep Crete at the top of the tourist map, we must invest in quality, not just quantity,” he said.
The discussion on “quality versus quantity” in tourism is opening up again dynamically in Crete, with stakeholders calling for a strategic direction that will provide solutions to a problem that concerns the entire Mediterranean.
