The Hellenic Touring Club of Sitia is one of the oldest historical associations of Crete with a rich, important, social and developmental work for our place, Sitia.

According to the preserved archive, the association was founded in Sitia, in the year 1961 as a branch of the Hellenic Travel Club which had its headquarters in Athens.

The historical path of the Club is intertwined both with the development and progress of our society and with infrastructure projects and cultural actions, which were envisioned, planned and implemented by the governing boards of the Association.

As an example, we mention the vision for the construction of Sitia Airport. A development project envisioned in 1968 and methodically implemented by EPLS. From the initial study, the finding of land and the financing of works, to the construction of the first airstrip, which was subsequently delivered in 1985 FREE of charge to the Municipality of Sitia and the Public Administration so that we now have a modern development tool for our region.

The multi-year organization of the famous annual “Sultanina” festival, which successfully showcased the region and our local products (1962-1996). The festival gained well-deserved pan-Hellenic recognition, and through this institution there was a significant extroversion of both the region and the local products produced by our country.

With the proceeds of the said Festival, a number of activities were financed and projects implemented such as the purchase of instruments and uniforms of the Municipal Philharmonic, assistance in the relocation of the old Sitia Hospital, construction of a hut and purchase of equipment for the connection of Sitia with the Greek Radio and Television, purchase of plots and completion of a building in the Trypitos area of Sitia – where a cultural center was planned to be housed for the further implementation of the union’s activities.

Many special thematic events and projects in the local community as well as important and rare book publications with reference to the culture, folklore and history of Sitia.

The Hellenic Tourist Club of Sitia during all these years has contributed the most to the rescue of the cultural heritage of Sitia, through the editions of rare books of historical and cultural objects.

The Fountains of Sitia, Sitia in the Years of the Arab Empire, Erotocritological Mosaics I and II and more, are indicative of some of the long-out-of-print books that stood out for their content as well as their subject matter.

Also rich is the project of promoting the city of Sitia, through the special thematic excursions and tours of the members of the association both inside and outside Greece.

A common feature of all the aforementioned has been the constant creation of infrastructure and development tools, which with the help of the state and with the unwavering voluntary contribution of our fellow citizens, produce a surplus value in our municipality.

Within this framework, the Boards of Directors also moved methodically. of the Club, in relation to the utilization of the large real estate of our association. Thus, since 2013, all those conditions had been created for the relocation of our headquarters from Trypitos Sitias (former headquarters of the Association).