ITB Day 2 Emirates & GNTO sign MOU c
Emirates has signed two Memorandums of Understandings (MoUs) with the Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO) and Austrian National Tourist Office (ANTO) on the sidelines of ITB Berlin 2024, to boost inboard tourism to two major destinations in the airline’s European network.
Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Operations commented: “We’re pleased to partner with the Greek National Tourism Organisation and Austrian National Tourist Office, and we look forward to working closely with them to boost visitation to each respective country. Both agreements are a testament of our commitment to the Greek and Austrian markets, where we have progressively grown our connectivity and presence, and we’re confident that our collaborative efforts will encourage travellers to visit the beautiful sights and attractions that each country has to offer.”
Greek National Tourism Organisation (GNTO)
Emirates has pledged its commitment to support Greece’s travel and tourism industry by boosting traffic from top inbound markets including the US, the UAE, Australia, India and China, to Greece through the exploration of joint marketing activities and campaigns. The airline will look at ways to support the country’s efforts to build more awareness of Greece as a brand, in line with the GNTO’s 2024 vision and objectives. The new agreement underscores Emirates’ long-term business objectives for the market as it continues to serve the already robust international travel demand to Greece.
The Mou was signed by Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe and Dimitris Fragakis, GNTO’s Secretary General. Also present during the ceremony was Adnan Kazim, Emirates Deputy President, and Chief Commercial Officer.
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”.
Last year, Emirates activated a codeshare agreement with the Greek air carrier, AEGEAN, allowing Emirates’ customers to seamlessly connect to eight popular domestic destinations operated by AEGEAN: Kerkyra, Chania, Iraklion, Mikonos, Thira, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Alexandropoulos via Athens, using a single ticket and convenient baggage policy. The additional connectivity offers more choice and flexibility for travellers to Greece which further contributes to increased inbound traffic from Emirates’ global network to the popular European destination.
Operated by a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, Emirates currently serves Greece with one daily flight between Dubai and Athens, as well as beyond to Newark. The airline has been serving Greece since 1996 and has so far carried more than 4.5 million passengers between Athens and Dubai and beyond to the airline’s global network.
Austrian National Tourist Office (ANTO)
Emirates has pledged its commitment to boost inbound visitors to Austria with the Austrian National Tourist Office. Recognising the attractiveness of Austria’s many landmarks and tourism sites, the airline will explore launching new marketing and advertising campaigns that boost visitor numbers from key inbound markets including the UAE, Australia, India, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Japan. The MoU also seeks to leverage Emirates’ extensive global network to reach new customers and consumer segments, and expand awareness even further, helping to promote Austria as an ideal destination for different types of visits and effectively building a strategic cooperation that benefits both the local economy and Emirates’ operations in the market.
The MoU was signed by Thierry Aucoc, Emirates’ Senior Vice President, Commercial Operations, Europe and Astrid Steharnig-Staudinger, CEO of Austrian National Tourist Office. Also present during the ceremony was Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Deputy President and Chief Commercial Operations.
“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 recently resumed its A380 operations to Austria and is the only airline to serve Vienna International Airport with a scheduled double-decker service, offering 20% more seat capacity on flights between Vienna and Dubai. The airline will mark 20 years of operations to Austria this year, and currently serves Vienna with a Boeing 777-300ER daily service in addition to the daily A380 flight.
