Foreign couples pick Elounda and Agios Nikolaos as Crete’s top wedding destinations, industry says

Couples from the United Kingdom, the United States and other countries are increasingly choosing Crete for their weddings, with Elounda and Agios Nikolaos emerging as the island’s leading destinations, according to Greek tourism industry representatives.

Officials describe wedding tourism as a fast-growing segment of Greek tourism that attracts high-spending visitors who combine their wedding with a multi-day holiday. This broader pattern of wedding tourism in Crete has drawn couples from Germany, France, Scandinavia, Cyprus, Israel and India as well.

According to industry figures, foreign visitors mainly seek authentic Cretan settings — sea views, sunsets, olive groves and traditional estates — with local gastronomy also playing a significant role in their choice. Many of these elements form part of the island’s wider Experiences in Crete offering promoted to visitors.

Industry comments

Giorgos Pelekanakis, president of the Panhellenic Federation of Hotel Directors, said wedding tourism “is one of the most dynamically growing sectors of Greek tourism, as it combines high per capita spending with significant benefits for local businesses.”

Michalis Vlatakis, president of the Association of Tourist and Travel Agents of Crete, said most weddings of foreign visitors in Crete currently take place in Elounda and Agios Nikolaos, mainly at luxury hotels, part of a broader network of places to stay in Crete that cater to such events. He added that Crete still lags behind Santorini and Mykonos in wedding tourism and said the island needs targeted promotion of specific romantic locations to close the gap.

The comments follow other recent tourism investment in the area, including the opening of a renovated marina in Agios Nikolaos earlier this year.