France, Austria, Denmark Connected With Greece And Türkiye In New Tourism Push As Samothraki Island Reopens Customs Facilities After Fourteen Years

Published on August 21, 2025

France subordinate Austria, Denmark, Greece and Türkiye successful nan spotlight arsenic Greece’s Samothraki Island takes a awesome measurement to reopen its long-closed customs gross aft fourteen years, aiming to invited increasing numbers of Turkish visitors while besides expanding outreach to European markets nether nan Visa Express program. The move is expected to easiness travel, trim ferry delays, and fortify location tourism ties, marking a important milestone successful nan island’s strategy to pull some neighboring and wider world travelers.

Greece’s bluish Aegean land of Samothraki is preparing to invited travelers done a long-awaited gateway. After remaining sealed for much than fourteen years, nan island’s customs station astatine Kamariotissa Port is now group to reopen, a determination expected to toggle shape cross-border tourism, peculiarly for visitors arriving from Türkiye. The move is straight tied to nan rollout of nan European Union’s “Visa Express” program, designed to simplify short-term introduction procedures for non-EU travelers.

A Long-Awaited Step for Turkish Tourists

Samothraki, located only 37 kilometers (around 23 miles) from Türkiye’s Gökçeada, has steadily grown into a favourite destination for Turkish holidaymakers. Its proximity makes it perfect for play trips aliases short getaways, but nan deficiency of a functioning customs agency created important challenges. For years, ferry passengers disembarking connected nan land had to contend pinch lengthy delays, arsenic nan closed customs gross forced makeshift procedures that disappointment some travelers and section authorities.

The island’s entreaty to Turkish visitors has been beardown capable to expose this spread successful infrastructure. Rising request successful caller summers underscored really urgently a general customs installation was needed. Now, aft much than a decade of inactivity, that rumor is yet being addressed.

New Customs Facilities Underway

According to reports from Greek media outlet Voria.gr, a customs serviceman has already been assigned to Samothraki’s larboard and will statesman duties erstwhile nan accommodation are completed. The Alexandroupolis Port Authority is overseeing nan method planning, pinch consultants preparing some nan architectural requirements and costs estimates for building a caller customs office.

The improvement will beryllium centered astatine Kamariotissa, nan island’s main port, which handles astir each ferry traffic. Establishing a afloat equipped customs beingness location is viewed arsenic basal not only for Turkish tourism but besides for Samothraki’s wider strategy of world engagement.

Importance for nan Visa Express Program

The customs reopening is intimately linked pinch nan EU-backed seven-day visa-on-entry scheme, commonly referred to arsenic nan “Visa Express” program. This inaugural allows non-EU visitors, peculiarly from Türkiye, to get a short-stay visa straight astatine separator points for up to 1 week, making recreation to adjacent Greek islands overmuch easier.

Samothraki was included successful nan programme earlier this summer. However, without an operational customs agency aliases assigned personnel, nan land could not instrumentality it successful practice. Tourists had to trust connected standard, slower visa procedures, limiting nan program’s intended benefits.

By reopening nan customs gate, nan land will yet beryllium capable to enforce nan argumentation and return advantage of nan anticipated emergence successful short-stay visits. Authorities judge this will importantly amended recreation ratio and heighten Samothraki’s competitiveness compared to different Aegean destinations already benefiting from nan scheme.

Need for Direct Ferry Connections

Officials stress that infrastructure upgrades unsocial will not beryllium enough. Reestablishing and maintaining regular ferry links betwixt Samothraki and nan Turkish seashore is arsenic vital. Without reliable maritime services, nan customs agency whitethorn run beneath potential, and nan Visa Express programme could still look limitations.

At present, astir ferry connections nexus Samothraki pinch Alexandroupolis, a mainland Greek city. While convenient for home travel, this way does not service nan increasing Turkish marketplace directly. Authorities and tourism stakeholders person truthful been urging for dedicated routes from Turkish ports specified arsenic Gökçeada aliases Çanakkale, which would supply a faster and much businesslike gateway.

Expanding Tourism Outreach Beyond Türkiye

While Turkish arrivals are cardinal to nan customs gross reopening, Samothraki is besides looking beyond its closest neighbor. In caller years, nan land has been moving to grow its world floor plan done targeted promotional campaigns.

In 2024, section tourism authorities launched outreach efforts successful France and Austria, highlighting nan island’s earthy and taste assets to Western European travelers. This year, nan run shifted northward, focusing connected Denmark arsenic a imaginable maturation market. At nan aforesaid time, Samothraki has strengthened ties pinch nan Balkan region, which provides a dependable travel of location visitors.

This multi-country attack reflects nan island’s ambition to diversify its visitant guidelines and trim overdependence connected immoderate azygous market.

What Samothraki Offers Visitors

Unlike immoderate much commercialized Greek islands, Samothraki has maintained an authentic characteristic that appeals to travelers seeking a blend of quality and history. Its melodramatic landscapes see waterfalls, lush mountains, and secluded beaches, making it peculiarly charismatic for eco-tourism and outdoor activities.

The land is besides steeped successful heritage. Known successful antiquity for nan Sanctuary of nan Great Gods, Samothraki continues to tie visitors willing successful archaeology and taste discovery. Festivals, accepted music, and section crafts further enrich its personality arsenic a destination that combines earthy beauty pinch taste depth.

By emphasizing these qualities, Samothraki positions itself not conscionable arsenic a speedy getaway for Turkish visitors but arsenic a destination tin of attracting a wider world audience.

Looking Ahead

Reopening nan customs gross aft fourteen years is some a symbolic and applicable milestone for Samothraki. It signals Greece’s committedness to strengthening location tourism ties pinch Türkiye and beyond while addressing nan pressing needs of modern recreation infrastructure.

Yet, challenges remain. Building a customs agency and staffing it efficaciously is only nan first step. Ensuring nonstop ferry routes, streamlining introduction procedures, and coordinating pinch recreation operators will each play important roles successful making nan task a success.

For locals, nan improvement brings dream of greater economical activity and improved visibility connected nan world tourism map. For visitors, it promises easier entree to 1 of Greece’s astir scenic and historically rich | islands.

France subordinate Austria, Denmark, Greece and Türkiye arsenic Samothraki Island reopens its customs gross aft fourteen years, a move designed to invited Turkish visitors and fortify wider European recreation links done nan Visa Express program.

As nan caller customs accommodation move person to completion, Samothraki stands astatine nan period of a caller chapter—one that could redefine its domiciled arsenic a gateway betwixt Greece, Türkiye, and nan broader region.