More tourists eyeing Greece
Greece ranks fourth among the top destinations in the preferences of European travelers in a survey by the European Travel Commission, which examines the mood for tourism between May and October this year.
In addition, Greece ranks second after Spain in the destinations expected to have the most repeat visitors this year and in first place, together with Portugal and Croatia, in the destinations attracting the most new visitors this year.
According to a broad survey (“Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel”) of the European Travel Commission (ETC), in major European markets from which Greece draws visitors, the intention of Europeans to travel rose to 75%. That is, it is increased by 3% compared to the corresponding period last year.
In fact, while 37% of respondents intend to take a single trip, 57% are preparing for two or more during this period. Certainly, destinations in Southern Europe are preferred by 43% of travelers, with Italy and Spain topping the list and France and Greece following in third and fourth place. It is recalled that in the same survey last year, Greece was in fifth place. This range reflects Europeans’ desire for sun and beach trips (20%) and city breaks (16%), which emerged as the most popular holiday types for the coming months.
Despite a strong desire to travel, 22% of Europeans are concerned about escalating travel costs and 17% are worried about personal finances amid the current economic climate. Additionally, geopolitical tensions such as the conflict in Ukraine and unrest in the Middle East heighten concerns, with 12% and 10% respectively expressing concern.
Potential disruptions to air travel and transportation options (10%), overcrowding (9%) and extreme weather (8%) are other major sources of concern. But despite safety concerns and financial constraints, Europeans are showing remarkable resilience when it comes to travel this summer.
Enthusiasm for travel appears common across all over-25 demographics, reaching as high as 81% among more mature travelers (ages 55+). This determination, combined with the desire to secure a holiday at a more favorable price, leads to early bookings.
