German tour operators list Crete among top picks for autumn family holidays
Several of Germany’s largest tour operators have named Crete among their recommended destinations for value-for-money family holidays in autumn 2026, according to a report by Flashnews.gr citing comments from company executives.
Hakan Gürova, sales director of the Anex group, said Greek destinations popular with families, including Crete, Rhodes, Kos and Chalkidiki, along with Turkey, the Canary Islands and Mallorca, “generally offer very good value for money.” He said the company offers options for every budget, from economy hotels to luxury resorts.
Hicabi Ayhan, product management director at Coral Travel, listed Crete among his value-for-money picks alongside Alanya and Side in Turkey. He also named Marsa Alam in Egypt for travelers seeking classic beach holidays and Tunisia as an attractive lower-cost alternative.
TUI product director Steffen Boehnke said Heraklion is currently among the destinations his company considers particularly attractive, alongside Mallorca, Antalya, Rhodes, Kos and Djerba, citing wide hotel choice and strong all-inclusive offers. He pointed to specific properties in Fuerteventura and Turkey as offering family-suitable rooms at reasonable prices, without naming a specific Heraklion hotel.
Victoria Abele, a product manager cited in the report, said the Gouves Water Park Holiday Resort in Crete has good capacity and, in her view, offers an attractive price along with plenty of entertainment for the whole family. She also recommended properties in Turkey and Mallorca.
Other destinations in the operators’ autumn lineup
Jonas Neubert, head of hotel procurement at Alltours, put Tunisia at the top of the company’s list for budget-conscious families, citing temperatures reaching 25 degrees Celsius into November and hotels offering all-inclusive packages, water parks and family rooms.
Bentour managing director Deniz Ugur pointed to Side on Turkey’s Riviera, citing its range of family-friendly, all-inclusive hotels. He noted that families with flexible schedules, especially in early October or from early November, often find more attractive prices than during Germany’s school holiday period in the second half of October.
Dertour product manager Sven Schikarsky advised travelers to weigh total holiday costs rather than trip price alone, saying Turkey continues to offer excellent value and naming the Sentido Lycus Beach and Calimera Sunpark hotels, plus the Calimera One Resort Jockey in Tunisia.
Martin Bensing Carvalhal, product manager at Schauinsland-Reisen, said families benefit in autumn from a wide range of hotels and child-friendly resorts in Egypt, Turkey, the Canary Islands and Mallorca, adding that Cyprus, Greek islands and Malta are also well suited to families given the range of hotel price categories available. He cited specific properties in Lanzarote, Mallorca and Malta.
The renewed interest in Crete as an autumn destination comes as the island leads Greece’s regions in international air arrivals for the first seven months of 2026, according to INSETE data reported separately. Several of the operators cited in the report also referenced family-friendly places to stay in Crete that combine competitive pricing with amenities such as water parks and kids’ clubs.
