“The detentions so far have not managed to cover last year’s mobility, indicative of the financial inability of Greeks to move freely” points out the president of FedHATTA
An 8% reduction in bookings for organized trips in Greece and abroad is recorded by the country’s travel agencies in the three days of October 28, compared to the corresponding period in 2023, despite the fact that this year’s calendar adds one more holiday to the weekend, which could to give a greater incentive for getaways, the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Tourist and Travel Agencies of Greece – FedHATTA states in its announcement.
“Although the picture in individual Greek destinations may look very satisfactory, with local hotels filling up, the fact that the popular destinations for the season are mainly small mountain settlements with little capacity does not allow safe conclusions to be drawn about the wider picture of the three-day demand. There is a great demand within the country for the destinations of Macedonia, which in many cases are the first preference of the clients of the travel agencies. Kastoria, Zagorochoria, Pindos, Tzoumerka, Kalambaka, as well as Thrace are in high demand, Delphi and Pelion are also on the plans of Greek excursionists, while trips to Achaia, mountainous Arcadia and Mani are also particularly popular. At the same time, the preferences of Greek excursionists include large island destinations, such as Corfu, Rhodes and Crete”, the announcement states.
Regarding the choice of foreign destinations, fluctuations are observed, with many destinations in central Europe being sold out and with a clear trend this year for holidays in faraway destinations. The Dalmatian Coast, Italy, Poland, Malta, Alsace, Switzerland are first on the flight tours and Sofia, Ohrid, Dubrovnik, Belgrade and Bucharest on the road tours. Turkey is high on the list of preferences this year, for holidays in Istanbul, Paralia, Smyrna and Cappadocia. On the occasion of the three days of October 28, there is also a preference for distant destinations, such as Cuba, Latin America, Vietnam, China, but also for Arab countries that are not affected by geopolitical instability.
As the president of the FedHATTA Federation, Lysandros Tsilidis, points out, “the detentions so far have not managed to cover last year’s mobility, indicative of the financial inability of Greeks to move freely. However, it is not improbable that demand increases at the last minute, up to two days before departure, which is common in the Greek market.”
