The paradox of Greece’s most popular destination
After a series of record-breaking years, the island is seeing a decline in arrivals, but visitor satisfaction remains high
After a series of record-breaking years, the island is seeing a decline in arrivals. This drop is often attributed to the pressures of rapid development. However, visitor satisfaction remains high. Here’s a look at Greece’s most popular destination.
In recent summers, the news from Mykonos has been largely negative. The island frequently makes headlines for issues of profiteering, serious crimes, mafia-style attacks, building violations and viral posts from influencers charged hundreds of euros for simple dishes like fried squid and Greek salad.
Yet, more than 1.5 million people visit Mykonos each year, with another 1.2 million arriving by cruise ship. This small island, with 11,000 residents and covering just 85 square kilometers, hosts more tourists annually than Peru. Clearly, something attracts them.
So, what’s the real story behind Mykonos tourism? Who are the visitors, how many come and how do they feel about their experience? Is tourism declining? Data from international organizations, compiled by INSETE, the research arm of the Greek Tourism Confederation, provides insight.
By analyzing this data, we can better understand Mykonos as a tourism destination today – and debunk a few myths. Let’s break it down.
By plane
In 2023, more people flew directly to Mykonos from abroad than in 2019, but slightly fewer than in 2022. International arrivals in the first half of 2024 were down 5% from 2023. While concerns about declining numbers are valid, domestic air arrivals rose in 2023 and have continued to increase slightly in 2024. Despite a slight drop from record highs, large numbers of people still fly to Mykonos.
By boat
Cruise ship traffic surged in 2023, with 749 ships bringing 1.2 million passengers to Mykonos – almost double the 2022 total and well above 2019 levels. Nearly 800,000 people also arrived by ferry, slightly fewer than in 2019.
The total revenue from Mykonos accommodations reaches €750 million, with €500 million from 5-star hotels. This explains the boom in luxury hotel construction
Where do all these visitors stay?
In 2023, Mykonos had the capacity to host about 50,000 tourists per night, with 225 hotels and over 5,000 short-term rentals booked on platforms such as Airbnb. Hotels offer around 8,000 rooms with 16,500 beds – 3,000 more than in 2019. Short-term rentals, including homes, apartments and villas, add over 33,000 beds, with an average of six people per rental. For an island of 11,000 residents, over 5,000 rental properties is a notable figure.
Mykonos is known for its luxury accommodations. Seventy-three of its hotels are 5-star, with 7,500 beds, almost matching the island’s population. Factoring in high-end villas, which bring in significant revenue, the luxury market is even larger.
In 2019, each 5-star hotel room generated an average of 87,000 euros annually, compared to €36,000 for 4-star hotels and €16,000 for short-term rentals. The total revenue from Mykonos accommodations reaches €750 million, with €500 million from 5-star hotels. This explains the boom in luxury hotel construction – 27 of the island’s 73 5-star hotels opened after the pandemic.
Most visitors book their accommodation online. In 2023, 64% used Booking.com, 20% used Google, 9% TripAdvisor and 4% Hotels.com, with the rest using other sources. Sixty percent of hotel guests were couples, 22% families, 9% large groups and 8% solo travelers.
How do all these visitors rate their experience?
Various organizations gather data on tourism, including visitor satisfaction and destination profiles. The Net Promoter Score (NPS), for example, gauges customer satisfaction by asking if they would recommend a service. Recent NPS results show Mykonos hotels consistently rate highly compared to other Mediterranean destinations.
NPS categorizes customers as detractors, passives or promoters. Detractors are dissatisfied and unlikely to recommend the service, passives are neutral, and promoters are highly satisfied and likely to recommend the service. When comparing data from 2019, 2022 and 2023 across five popular Mediterranean destinations, including Saint-Tropez, Ibiza and Sardinia, the two Greek islands, Santorini and especially Mykonos, often lead in customer satisfaction.
Another benchmark, the Guest Reputation Index (GRI), assesses online hotel reviews by analyzing data from travel sites and agents. The results are similar: Mykonos and Santorini consistently rank highest. No foreign destinations surpassed them; the only blip was a brief period in the summer of 2022 when Santorini’s ratings equaled Mykonos’, which generally ranked first.
The Travelsat Competitive Index (TCI) research also evaluates destinations internationally based on reviews of hotels, restaurants and attractions. In 2023, the average rating for European destinations was 8.7 out of 10. Mykonos scored 9 out of 10 from its visitors.
Top ratings
Visitors to Mykonos gave high marks for accommodation quality, staff and cleanliness, but slightly lower ratings for value for money and sustainability. Australians, Brits and Americans rated the island over 9 out of 10 in 2023.
While recent negative news and a slight drop in arrivals are concerning, Mykonos remains a top destination, especially for high-income travelers. Its continued success will depend on how the government, local community and tourism operators address current challenges and maintain high standards. There is much work ahead to preserve its appeal.
