The Travel Massive Crete Road Trip

Travel Massive events in Crete are anything but typical! After Crete’s spectacular kick off last year, this time Crete’s leaders organised 4 great events in 4 different cities.

They also invited a group of international bloggers and journalists for a 9-day long round trip to show island’s hidden treasures!

Travel Massive Round Trip’s theme was #Crete4seasons

This was an aim to bring attention to the beauty and diversity of Crete’s mainland and showcase activities, which are available all year round. Sadly, Crete currently depends on sun and beach tourists and all-inclusive hotels, which come only during the summer months. The island, however, has all it needs to become a top destination for all types of travelers (especially for foodies, and people searching for cultural experiences, holidays in nature and soft adventure).

4 Travel Massive events organised in Crete’s 4 major cities became a platform for discussion about improving Crete’s tourism. Events brought together representatives of local tourism industry, local government (including local mayors!) and media, who had a chance to meet and mingle with international bloggers and journalists.

The following speakers were invited to share their ideas on how Crete can attract more travelers and prolong its season:

• Rebecca Skevaki (Urban Adventures/Travel Massive, Crete) introduced Travel Massive and using her own example spoke about the benefits Travel Massive brings to its members and their businesses.
• Doru Raduta (Urban Adventures, Bucharest) spoke about what is responsible tourism and how it can prolong seasonality in any destination.
• Anula Galewska (Travindy, Berlin) introduced the profile of a SMART traveler and simple solutions travel companies can implement to attract modern consumers.
• Bryon Merzeø (Deloitte, Sydney) gave tips on how to improve Trip Advisor rankings, which lead to immediate revenue increase.
• Maria Athanasopoulou (Respond on Demand, Thessaloniki) expressed concern about Crete’s dependency on mass tourism and mentioned solutions to help hotels attract other type of clientele throughout the year

Apart from Travel Massive events, the road trip took participants to many different parts of Crete and let them experience delicious food, stunning nature, rich culture and most importantly – meet local people, who love Crete more than anything.

If you haven’t been to Crete yet, this is what you’re missing out!

Food!

Crete’s cuisine is one of the best in the world. Fresh and aromatic, a heaven for vegetarians. Add in Crete’s fantastic olive oil (always extra virgin, cold pressed!) and a sip of local wine, you will dream of staying in Crete forever. In Crete not only can you taste, but also learn where your food is coming from. For example in Biolea, in the Astrikas Estate, you can observe the artisan production of organic olive oil using millstones and presses. In Manousakis Winery you see how their organic wines are made, and then, of course, you taste them, enjoying an extremely romantic scenery.

If you don’t know how oranges, lemons, fennel or rosemary grow, the Botanical Park and Gardens of Crete is the place to visit. Its land’s formation and the region’s microclimate are perfect home for fruit trees, herbs, medicinal and ornamental plants from all over the world.

From olive oil to cheese, Crete embraces its long traditions of food produce. Yiorgos Hatziparaskos in Rethymno is one of few people, who make baklava in a traditional way.

Extremely hospitable people

Cretans are very friendly and welcome you with open arms and open hearts. But be prepared – no conversation can start without a shot of raki (a local spirit)! Locals will be happy to invite you to their homes, feed you and take a spontaneous selfie on the street. You won’t see hungry or homeless people in Crete because of their deeply rooted sharing and caring culture.

History, culture & heritage

Crete has very rich and fascinating past. Not only in the famous Knossos Palace, but almost in every corner, you can feel centuries of Crete’s history. The island is one of the most significant archeological destinations in the world, and a new excavation site is opening this June! Travel Massive members had a chance to visit it before an official launch and, what can I say, it’s breathtaking!

Cretans also cherish their cultural traditions. It’s much easier to find locals performing folk dances than to see them jumping in a night club.

Stunning landscapes combining sea and mountains

There are many destinations famous for beaches, others for mountains. In Crete you get both! If you’re tired of sun, you can go hiking or chill in one of the stunning island gorges.

Golden Beach on Chrissi (donkey) Island is a perfect place to relax and enjoy crystal clear waters of the Libyan Sea.

Options for different styles and budgets

You will find your way in Crete regardless of your budget and preferences. From restaurants, to hotels and transport, tourist offer is very broad.

If you like small, stylish and upscale accommodation you might like Rimondi Boutique Hotel in Rethymno. If you are look for something more traditional, further from city centre, Koutsounari Traditional Cottages near Ierapetra will be a good choice.

An amazing way to get around Crete is cruising! You can go sailing on a simple boat, or, if you want to feel like Jackie and Onassis, try Luxury

It’s important to say that Crete is fairly well prepared for tourists and has a developed tourism infrastructure. Although not everything functions perfectly, there are several good solutions of how tourism should be managed and promoted. In Heraklion Info Point, tourists get to know the region in a fun and interactive way. This Info Point is a great example of how a destination can use technology to showcase their offers.

Travel Massive Crete Road Trip wouldn’t have happened without Rebecca Skevaki, with help of Ioannis Bras and Christos Manousakis. Also big thank you to sponsors: Crete Urban Adventures,

Island exploration was organised thanks to Crete Urban Adventures, which take travelers off the beaten track and show Crete in a unique and responsible manner.

Greece, see you next time!

Anula Galewska is part of Travel Massive Global Team and chapter leader in Berlin. She is also the CEO and Co-Founder of Travindy, website for responsible tourism news and insight. Anula is passionate about sustainability, social entrepreneurship and Eastern Europe. Get in touch with her on Twitter.