What the figures so far show from tour operators and airlines
Optimistic messages are being sent by the most important markets-countries that supply Greece with visitors every year, as the indications so far from the airlines and also the surveys carried out by the local tourism organizations show, if nothing else, that the tourist arrivals in 2024 in Greece they will not be lower than 2023, a milestone year for Greek tourism.
Without taking into account any unstable factors that may at any time affect the normality of tourism, Germany, England and France will be the main protagonists in the arrivals of foreign visitors to Greece in 2024.
Germany: 70 million trips expected in 2024
In the biggest feeder market of foreign visitors to Greece, Germany, messages only count as positive. Speaking to APE international players of the tourism scene, it is emphasized that despite the current difficult economic situation, holidays will continue to play an important role for Germans in the year 2024, as it is estimated that in the new tourist year they will make around 70 million trips, lasting more than 5 days .
With Greece among the favorites for holidays abroad for Germans, popular destinations include Spain, Italy, Turkey and Austria. The international Tour Operator DER Touristik speaks of an increase in demand in 2024 compared to last year, with Heraklion, Rhodes, Kos, Corfu and Thassos showing remarkable momentum. In the meantime, for Tour Operator Schauinsland particularly “promising” destinations for 2024 are Halkidiki and Corfu. However, Greece is one of the most sought-after destinations for families and couples in the German-speaking market, according to Tour Operator FTI, with bookings for 2024 moving at last year’s levels.
For Tour Operator Alltours, the 2023/2024 winter city break program is running very satisfactorily, while the inclusion of winter packages in Thessaloniki is planned this year. Special mention must be made of the large booking platform Holidaycheck where increased interest is recorded for 2024 for Crete, the small Greek Islands, Corfu, Halkidiki, Zakynthos and finally Thassos. At the same time, it is worth mentioning that for 2024 the airline company Eurowings will increase by approximately 8% the availability of offered seats and the number of flights.
Greece is in 5th place according to the travel intentions of the British for 2024
In the second most important market for Greek tourism in 2023, a report by ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) on the travel intentions of the British for 2024 emphasizes that Greece is in 5th place. The first choice for the British will be Spain, second is Italy, third is France, followed by the USA and Greece.
Spain, Portugal, France and Italy are the most important competing destinations in the Irish market, with Greece seeing significant growth in 2023 and market experts predicting further strengthening in 2024.
Focusing on the flight work of the airlines, Easyjet speaks of a 6.3% increase in the flight work (capacity) of flights to Greece. For its part, British Airways, immediately after the discount action (January sales) which ended on January 31, 2024, shows an increase in bookings of the order of 21% compared to the corresponding period last year. The Jet2 group, meanwhile, offers 1.5 million airline seats and 320 weekly flights to Greece, more than 100 routes from 11 UK airports to 14 airports in Greece, while Jet2holidays customers will be able to choose between 20 Greek destinations.
Greece is in 3rd place according to the travel intentions of the French for 2024
In the third most important market for Greek tourism, France, which in 2023 sent 1.920 million travelers to Greece (a 4.2% increase compared to last year), the surveys to diagnose the travel desire of the French in 2024 note that Greece is in third (3rd) place, regarding short and medium distance travel. In first place is Spain ahead of metropolitan France.
Drawing data from the popular French professional tourism website L´Echo Touristique regarding the sales of tourist packages for the month of January 2024 from physical and online travel agencies to the top twenty destinations worldwide, it is highlighted, among other things, that the overall movement of the market showed an increase of 3% in January 2024 versus January 2023.
According to data from an international tour operator dealing with luxury holidays, Voyage Privé aims to send 115,000 travelers and increase overnight stays by 380,000. In particular for the French market, pre-bookings are moving satisfactorily for the company and they expect greater interest in February, a month before the Catholic Easter, where interest in holidays also intensifies. Crete, Thessaloniki, mainland Greece and the Cyclades show the greatest demand. The target for 2024 is more than 60,000 French travelers and 200,000 overnight stays.
Voyage Privé has completed in the first twenty days of January 1,310 reservations for Greece, for 3,470 people and 10,919 nights, with an average spend of 1,210 Euros per person. In the meantime, the travel agent FRAM – Karavel plans to promote destinations beyond the traditional ones, such as Corinth/Loutraki, Kalamata, Kos and smaller islands of the Cyclades. In any case, it is estimated that in 2024 it will send more than 87,489 French passengers who traveled to Greece in 2023, with around half choosing Crete last year.
From the above it becomes clear that in 2024 Greece will also stand out on the international tourism scene. Whether the arrivals of 2023 will be achieved is not an end in itself for the political leadership of tourism, nor for the business community, with the weight being given to the quality characteristics of the incoming tourist flow and its financial footprint on the Greek economy and on business fund.
