The Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) has signed two high profile strategic partnerships with Qatar Airways and online travel agent Wego at the recently concluded Arabian Travel Market (ATM) in Dubai, UAE.

The announcements were officially presented at a press conference on the GNTO stand hosted by the General Secretary of the GNTO, Dimitrios Fragakis, and comes as the national tourism body steps up its efforts to promote Greek tourism across the region ahead of the summer travel period by showcasing the exceptional weather and diverse experiences on offer throughout the year.

The GNTO is partnering with Qatar Airways to promote new direct routes to Greece as part of its ongoing commitment to offering seamless connectivity for passengers looking to enjoy as many one-stop connections as possible.

The popular Greek island of Santorini, with one of the most famous views in the world, will join high-demand flights to Athens and Mykonos to become the third destination to be served in Greece by Qatar Airways.

Qatar Airways and the GNTO will run a dedicated media campaign to raise awareness among audiences in the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, with a focus on the unique, money can’t buy experiences that only Greece has to offer. The campaign will also target potential travellers from as far afield as Australia.

The first flight to Santorini is scheduled to depart from Doha’s Hamad International Airport, voted the world's best airport in 2021, on 7th June 2022.

The new flights will further increase the already strong connectivity that Greece enjoys with the EMEA region, with existing routes including regular and seasonal flights to and from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Kuwait City and Riyadh with Emirates, FlyDubai, Etihad Airways, Aegean Airlines, Gulf Air and Flynas, while Wizz Air flies direct from Abu Dhabi to Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and Chania, Crete.

Fragakis said: “Greece is looking forward to a dynamic comeback to ATM and the Arabian market which is set to be a priority to Greek tourism over the years. We have had the pleasure of meeting up with several leading travel brands during the fair and stressed that Greece offers many unique year-round experiences beyond the world renown sea and sun products. Greece also sports a variety of quality accommodation and an excellent city break opportunity for the Arabian audience.”

Agreement with Wego

GNTO has inked an exclusive deal with Wego, one of the most influential online travel agents in the Middle East, as part of its comprehensive approach to further build on the destination’s enduring appeal to GCC travellers.

In line with the GNTO’s inspiring ALL YOU WANT IS GREECE campaign message, the multi-platform campaign will run from June until August and will target families, couples and travellers seeking unique travel experiences and high-quality services, by creating heightened demand and desire to travel over the key summer period by highlighting Greece as a destination with a unique identity, heritage and unparalleled natural landscape.

Fragakis said: “GNTO is excited to work with Wego one of the most influential platforms for the Arabic audience, to promote Greece as a destination ideal for couples, solo travellers but also for family vacation. Greece mainland and islands are top of the mind choice for leisure holidays or relaxation but also home to some of the historic monuments of the world. We are very happy to be able to welcome Arab travellers looking to combine more than one destination and experiences during their trip planning on the Wego platform”.

Mamoun Hmedan, Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa (Mena) and India of Wego, said: "We are excited to embark on this partnership with one of the most popular destinations for all types of travellers. We are committed to provide our users with new destinations to visit, and this partnership will enable us to bring greater choice for them."

Greece already accounts for 2.1 percent of all outbound travel traffic from the UAE, with the most popular destinations being the capital Athens, as well as the iconic island destinations of Mykonos and Santorini.

Last month, the Greek authorities announced plans to remove all Covid-19 entry requirements and allow all travellers to enter Greece restriction-free from May 1.

At the same time, the country also lifted the remaining of its domestic Covid-19 measures, meaning that travellers can now access cafes, bars, restaurants, and other public places and venues without being required to show evidence vaccination and/or a valid PCR test. 

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