Meeting with this highness of Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President and Managing Director of Emirates Airline and Emirates Group had Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogiannis on the sidelines of the International Tourism Exhibition “Arabian Travel Market” held in Dubai.

The meeting is a decisive step in further strengthening strategic cooperation between Greece and the United Arab Emirates in the field of tourism.

During the debate, the two sides focused on reinforcing the Emirates routes to the US. (East and west coast) as well as with Asia and Australia, markets with strong dynamic. The increase in direct connections of the Emirates to Greek destinations was also discussed.

The Minister, Ms. Olga Kefalogiannis, said: “Strategic cooperation with Emirates contributes to the strengthening of Greece’s image as a leading tourist and business destination and is a crucial tool for the further development of our tourism sector.”

The meeting ended with the signing of a memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and the Emirates Airline. Ms. Olga Kefalogiannis and Mr Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ senior vice president of Emirates for Europe and America signed the agreement that strengthens Greece and the UAE in the strategic sector of tourism.

The Memorandum of Understanding includes a number of joint actions to increase tourism demand, promote less known areas of Greece and establish the country as a destination throughout the year. This agreement marks a new pillar of growth, with the aim of sustainable development and extension of the tourist season.

Particularly important is the Codeshare Agreement with Aegean, which will broaden the opportunities for access to popular destinations in Greece, such as Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes and Thessaloniki, through the Emirates world network. This agreement not only enhances connectivity, but offers passengers greater flexibility and facilitates access to destinations that have not been easily accessible to international travelers to date.

The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding and the new common code agreement make Greece even more accessible and competitive on the world tourist map. This cooperation confirms the commitment of the two sides to enhance the international promotion of Greece and to promote a quality, sustainable and internationally competitive tourism model that will contribute to the development of the country and the creation of new opportunities for Greek tourist destinations.