Representatives from ten local stakeholder organizations have expressed strong opposition to the decision by the Municipality of Heraklion to relocate the tourist bus stop without consulting the city’s business community. Their position is outlined in a new joint letter.
The letter is signed by representatives of the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce, the Association of Tourist and Travel Agencies of Crete, the Association of Tourist Bus Owners of Crete, the Heraklion Hoteliers Association, the Heraklion Commercial Association, the Associations of Catering and City Center Shops of Heraklion, the Federation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants of Heraklion Prefecture, the Pancretan Association of Hotel Managers, the Car & Motorcycle Rental Association “Iniochos,” and the Federation of Tourist Accommodations of Eastern Crete.
This follows a previous letter sent last Monday to the Mayor and City Council of Heraklion, explaining the objective reasons for rejecting the proposed change and requesting a meeting on the issue.
In the new letter, the stakeholders state:
“With surprise and serious concern, we note that our request — from ten institutional and productive bodies of the city — for a meaningful dialogue regarding the relocation of the tourist bus stop was met not with a response or invitation to discuss, but with a unilateral press release.
This raises questions about the Municipality’s willingness to engage in dialogue. At a time when Heraklion is experiencing peak tourist activity, implementing such a major change suddenly, without prior consultation or any formal response to our joint letter, gives rise to reasonable concerns.
The insistence on relocating the stop, citing as the main argument a ‘European culture of pedestrian mobility,’ overlooks key factors: the specific nature of cruise visits, the short duration of tourist stays, and the needs of elderly or mobility-impaired visitors.
The argument that visitors ‘can walk further’ does not address the core issue: that this decision disconnects the city center from the primary tourist flow, negatively affecting the local economy, businesses, restaurants, and cultural sites.
Furthermore, the invocation of ‘European standards’ to justify the removal of tourist buses from the city center is not in line with actual European practices. No European country or policy promotes the removal of public transport from city centers in favor of unrestricted private vehicle access. In fact, the opposite is true: private vehicle use is limited, and public transport — including tourist buses, taxis, and urban transit — is supported as part of sustainable mobility strategies, emissions reduction, and traffic decongestion.”
The stakeholders conclude:
“Respecting our institutional role and our shared goal of a better Heraklion, we reiterate our legitimate and democratic request: to immediately convene a joint meeting with the participation of all relevant parties to reconsider the matter and seek a realistic, functional, and mutually acceptable solution.
The needs of the city and its visitors cannot be addressed through press releases, but through dialogue, cooperation, and practical respect for those working daily to support the tourism sector.”
