Talks with Emirates on expanding US–Greece air connectivity advanced this week, as the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) engaged in discussions with Emirates in New York.
Meeting with Senior Representative for Emirates in the USA Matthew Jones, GNTO Secretary General Andreas Fiorentinos reviewed current demand and examined opportunities for additional flights and new joint initiatives.
Discussions focused on the performance and future potential of the airline’s Newark–Athens service, the possibility of additional routes between the two countries, and opportunities for increased capacity.
The two sides also examined potential co-organized marketing actions for 2026, as well as plans for fam and press trips to support destination promotion in the US.
From left: Matthew Jones, Senior Representative for Emirates in the USA; Konstantinos Charokopos, Head of GNTO North America; Andreas Fiorentinos, Secretary General of GNTO; and Yiannis Plexousakis, Deputy Head of GNTO North America. Photo source: GNTO
Fiorentinos highlighted the importance of steadily growing American demand for Greece and noted that enhanced air connectivity is central to extending the tourism season and attracting higher-value visitors.
As part of his visit to the US, the GNTO Secretary General met with Greece’s Consul General in New York, Iphigenia Kanara, to discuss ways of aligning public diplomacy and tourism outreach efforts. The meeting focused on coordinating GNTO priorities with consular initiatives to strengthen Greece’s visibility and engagement across the US.
From left: GNTO Secretary General Andreas Fiorentinos, Greece’s Consul General in New York Iphigenia Kanara, and Stelios Valianos, Mayor of Aristotle. Photo source: GNTO
Fiorentinos also attended a presentation at the Greek Consulate highlighting Halkidiki to Greek-American media outlets.
The event showcased the “Aristotle, Companion” project of the Municipality of Aristotle, which highlights the region’s cultural heritage and positions it within Greece’s experiential and authenticity-focused tourism narrative.
Representatives from the Pan-Macedonian Association and the full spectrum of diaspora media participated, while Emirates’ Matthew Jones also attended, exchanging views on how destination promotion can align with airline marketing activities.
According to the GNTO, the first day of meetings underscored the strong momentum of the US market and the value of targeted cooperation with institutional and private-sector partners. Fiorentinos is expected to continue engagements with additional stakeholders in the American tourism industry over the coming days.
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