Greetings from Crete Regional Governor Stavros Arnaoutakis

An island in the southeast of the Mediterranean, the southernmost tip of the European Union. Crete owes a lot of its historical and cultural attributes to its geographical position.

According to mythology the word “Europe” was heard here for the first time, the name that was later given to the whole continent. From the Minoan times until today Crete has always been a place of outwardness, characterized by features such as the open society, the intense disposition for hospitality as well as the reception and acceptance of “different”.

Values that you can feel only when you come in contact with its inhabitants. But “the hidden treasures” of Crete are those hidden in the flavors, in the local cuisine, in the famous Cretan products. These are the outcome of enduring blends, climate conditions, cultural exchanges and human creativity.
Endowed with countless natural beauties, Crete rewards its visitors, since it is right here where age-long histories and traditions come alive.

Hospitality is the key element of our national and local identity, turning the island into a friendly and familiar place,for all foreign guests.

In recent years, many tourists from all over Europe visit Crete, people who choose the island to spend their holidays. For all these people Crete remains a hospitable destination, a destination that will offer them unique opportunities for quality vacations.

Within this framework, the Cretan culture remains the main pillar upon which the Region of Crete shall implement its strategic planning. A culture that holds a primary position in Europe and the Mediterranean.

It is the intangible and eternal richness of this land that the heavy industry of Crete, tourism, is based on. We live in an island where monuments from the Minoan times until the late Byzantine period attract thousands of visitors every year. We have a dual duty to our cultural past as well as to our future.

First and foremost as the Regional Authority we ought to coordinate and support all those worthwhile initiatives that promote our cultural heritage and we ought to create all prerequisites for the optimal capitalization of our cultural wealth, with due respect to the benefit of our homeland.

 

Stavros Arnaoutakis

Crete Regional Governor