Touristik Aktuell journalist Sylvia Raschke, Head of GNTO Germany Nicole Lekanidi, Thira Mayor Nikos Zorzos, Santorini Municipal Council President Georgia Nomikou, FVW Editor in Chief Claus Hindebrandt. Photo source: GNTO
Santorini is strengthening its presence in key European markets by welcoming German and Romanian media representatives to experience its cultural heritage, sustainable tourism initiatives, and alternative travel offerings.
Organized by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) and the Municipality of Thira, the trips aimed to promote Santorini as a top-of-mind and safe destination, while strengthening its presence in key markets for Greek tourism.
During their stay, the journalists discovered the island’s rich cultural and natural heritage, as well as its unique local products. They also learned about the municipality’s initiatives to tackle overcrowding and promote alternative tourism experiences.
Santorini’s plan to manage visitor numbers
From April 24 to 28, German journalists Claus Hindebrandt from the tourism magazine FVW (fvw.de) and Sylvia Raschke from Touristik Aktuell (touristik-aktuell.de) visited Santorini’s main attractions and met with Mayor Nikos Zorzos.
During an interview, Zorzos highlighted the municipality’s initiatives to manage visitor arrivals and address overtourism. He explained that, with an annual capacity of 3.6 million visitors, a pioneering program schedules cruise ship arrivals each day, limiting the number of passengers to 8,000 per day.
Upon arriving on the island, visitors can discover Santorini’s diverse tourism offerings, where its unique landscapes are seamlessly blended with a rich cultural ecosystem. According to the mayor, these features support the growth of alternative tourism forms, such as hiking and soft tourism, with trails like the Fira–Oia–Perissa–Ancient Thira route and the neighboring island of Thirassia.
The journalists experienced these attractions firsthand through guided tours of archaeological sites and wineries, and a boat excursion to the volcano and caldera. Santorini offers visitors a strong winemaking tradition and agricultural products, including eggplants and tomatoes. The features will be published in May.
Santorini’s key attraction on Romanian television
Santorini Hoteliers Association Antonis Pagonis speaking to Romanian media. Photo source: GNTO
Romanian journalists from the Antena 3 – CNN and TukTuk networks also traveled to Santorini from April 23 to 26 to capture its key tourism attractions.
During their visit, the Romanian delegation experienced the island’s thematic offerings, including the Museum of Prehistoric Thera, the archaeological site of Akrotiri, its beaches, and wineries. They also met with Zorzos and representatives of local tourism organizations, who reaffirmed that Santorini remains a completely safe destination, ready to welcome visitors.
According to the GNTO, the report will air in the coming weeks, supporting the Romanian market’s growing interest in Santorini for the 2025 summer season.
The press trips were supported by the GNTO’s branches in Germany and Romania. Additional promotional initiatives are scheduled for May, targeting the markets of Serbia, the UK, Ireland, North America, France, the Netherlands, and Italy.
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