Christmas travelers looking abroad again
It appears that Greeks are starting to warm to the idea of Christmas holidays abroad again, with belt-tightening having prevented many from doing so over the years of the financial crisis. This is partly due to the rise in hotel rates in various parts of Greece that has rendered several foreign destinations more competitive.
According to data collected from members of the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Tourism and Travel Agencies (FedHATTA), bookings for trips abroad this Christmas have increased some 20 percent compared to last year, both for popular destinations such as London, Vienna, Switzerland Helsinki and Belgrade and long-haul trips to Central and South America, Africa and Australia.
Even Arab countries such as Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (Dubai in particular) are seeing a continuation of the recovery that started last Christmas, with bookings up 30 percent. Meanwhile demand for Greek destinations remains largely unchanged.
“The criterion for consumer choices continues to be a combination of price, destination and services offered, as consumers do not necessarily opt for the most economical proposal, but rather the one they believe offers the best value for money,” FedHATTA noted.
