Emirates teams up with Greece and Austria Tourism Offices to increase visits

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

Emirates has inked two Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs) with the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) and the Austrian National Tourist Office (ANTO) at ITB Berlin 2024, aiming to enhance inbound tourism to two key destinations within the airline’s European network.

Under the agreement with the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO), Emirates has committed to bolstering Greece’s travel and tourism sector by increasing traffic from key inbound markets such as the US, the UAE, Australia, India, and China. This will be achieved through collaborative marketing initiatives and campaigns. Emirates will actively support Greece’s efforts to elevate its brand awareness in alignment with the GNTO’s vision and objectives for 2024. The signing ceremony featured Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Europe, and Dimitris Fragakis, Secretary General of GNTO, with Adnan Kazim, Emirates Deputy President and Chief Commercial Officer, also in attendance.

Dimitris Fragakis commented: “We are delighted to announce a strategic partnership between the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) and Emirates. Emirates, with its global reach and reputation for excellence, is the perfect ally in expanding our presence in key source markets and connecting with audiences who appreciate the richness of Greece’s cultural heritage, diverse landscapes, warm hospitality and high quality services. Greece boasts not only its iconic summer destinations but also a wealth of offerings throughout the year. Through strategic initiatives with Emirates, we are confident in our ability to captivate a global audience and invite them to explore the beauty and richness of Greece in every season”.

Emirates solidified its partnership with the Greek air carrier, AEGEAN, last year through a codeshare agreement. This collaboration enables Emirates’ passengers to seamlessly access eight popular domestic destinations operated by AEGEAN, including Kerkyra, Chania, Iraklion, Mikonos, Thira, Rhodes, Thessaloniki, and Alexandropoulos via Athens. With the convenience of a single ticket and unified baggage policy, travelers to Greece now have expanded options and flexibility, fostering increased inbound traffic from Emirates’ global network to this sought-after European destination.

Currently, Emirates operates a daily flight between Dubai and Athens, supplemented with service to Newark, using Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Since commencing operations in Greece in 1996, Emirates has transported over 4.5 million passengers between Athens and Dubai, further connecting them to destinations worldwide.

In a similar vein, Emirates has affirmed its commitment to boosting inbound tourism to Austria in collaboration with the Austrian National Tourist Office (ANTO). Recognizing Austria’s diverse array of landmarks and tourism sites, Emirates plans to initiate new marketing and advertising campaigns aimed at increasing visitor numbers from key markets such as the UAE, Australia, India, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Japan. Through this Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Emirates seeks to leverage its extensive global network to tap into new customer segments, thereby enhancing awareness and positioning Austria as an appealing destination for various types of visits. This strategic cooperation is anticipated to mutually benefit the local economy and Emirates’ operations in the Austrian market.

The MoU was formally signed by Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Europe, and Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger, CEO of the Austrian National Tourist Office. Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Operations, was also present during the signing ceremony.

“The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding underscores the pivotal role of cooperation in shaping the future landscape of tourism. Austrian National Tourist Office is committed to expanding its collaborative efforts, and the partnership with Emirates marks a significant stride in this direction. This formal agreement reaffirms our shared commitment to advancing tourism in Austria,” commented Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger, CEO of Austrian National Tourist Office.

Emirates has resumed its A380 operations to Austria, becoming the sole airline to provide Vienna International Airport with a scheduled double-decker service. This reintroduction offers a 20% increase in seat capacity on flights connecting Vienna and Dubai. This year, Emirates celebrates 20 years of serving Austria and currently offers daily services to Vienna, utilizing both Boeing 777-300ER and A380 aircraft.

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