Greece’s emerging summer destinations lead the way in tourism growth

BARCELONA, SPAIN – As Greece continues to be one of the world’s top travel destinations, there is a notable shift in travel demand as travellers are increasingly seeking off-the-beaten-path locations for their Greek holidays, according to the latest report, “Emerging Destinations in Greece 2024,” which highlights evolving travel preferences and the country’s ability to maintain competitive hotel rates despite growing international competition.

Insights of this study are the result of a data intelligence analysis performed by Mabrian, the global travel intelligence platform (part of The Data Appeal Company), in collaboration with Mindhaus, leading tourism marketing and strategy agency, based in Greece, member of V+O Group and SEC Newgate.

Tourism is a critical sector for Greece. According to Bank of Greece, travel contributes 19% of the country’s GDP and supports 800,000 jobs. In 2023, Greece welcomed over 36 million visitors, marking a 20.8% increase in inbound travellers and a 16.6% rise in travel receipts compared to the previous year. Attica, the region encompassing Athens, was the most visited, while the Southern Aegean region accounted for the largest share of tourism receipts and overnight stays.

However, as Greece remains a global tourism powerhouse, “travellers are increasingly looking for places with less crowds, cool weather and good value”, says Theofilos Kyratsoulis, General Manager at Mindhaus; “while, at the same time, it is evident that many Greek destinations are currently at a tipping point: very popular ones are facing the challenges of international competition, mismanaging demand, shadow supply as well as concerns over identity loss.”

In the midst of this evolving scenario, emerging destinations rise as alternatives to the most renowned Greek spots; trends that this report unveils. To do so, Mabrian conducted a cross-analysis* of consolidated and cyclical travel demand, including parameters such as inbound travellers’ motivations and preferred experiences, as well as air capacity, hotel rates and data on stays, during pre-season and summer season months.

Air connectivity plays a crucial role in Greece’s tourism strategy, particularly during the summer season. According to Mabrian data, key inbound markets such as the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and the Netherlands see a total of 12.3 million seats connecting these countries with Greek airports between May and September 2024, which represent nearly 44% of total Greek seasonal direct air connectivity. Germany and Italy, in particular, will experience increased seat availability, growing by 12.8% and 12.5%, respectively. Notably, flights from Poland and Switzerland will see significant year-on-year growth, at 20% and 14.4%, respectively.

Continental and islands emerging destinations

According to Mabrian data, islands outside the traditional cruise circuits are experiencing a surge in popularity. Notably, the islands of Lesbos and Chios in the North Aegean region saw year-over-year visitor increases of +78.8% and +65.2%, respectively. Similarly, Samos (up +51.7%), Skopelos (+26.6%), and Skiathos (+25.5%) are also gaining traction. “Demand to explore places considered less busy or dense in terms of visitation, can contribute to enhance tourism sustainability by distributing tourism benefits throughout the country”, says Carlos Cendra, Partner and Director of Marketing and Communications at Mabrian.

The Peloponnese region, with its rich gastronomic heritage and coastal beauty, has become the fourth most visited destination in Greece. “New luxury developments, as well as other promotional initiatives, contributed to position the Peloponnese in the top of mind of European travellers, especially among repeating visitors looking for alternatives to the most renowned spots in Greece”, shares Cendra.

Another Greek emerging destination is the oriental part of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace region (also known as Continental Thrace, and formed by Xanthi, Rhodope and Evros), in particular its coastline (that increased arrivals up to +63% in a year), and the Island of Thasos, part of this same region, visited by +26.4% more travellers year-over-year.

“It is great to see new destinations emerging, from north (Thrace, Lesvos, Chios and Samos) to South (Peloponnese), mainly due to value-for-money, ease in visa procedures and connectivity; but focus should go beyond visitation”, explains Kyratsoulis. “Value (and spending), not volume is what should matter”, states.

Shifting travel motivations: The rise of active tourism

Emerging destinations reflect evolving motivations to travel to Greece, with an increasing number of visitors seeking active lifestyle experiences. In 2023, 21.1% of visitors cited active experiences as their main reason for visiting Greece, a significant increase of +12.1 percentage points more than 2019; turning active tourism in the main driver to visit Greece, followed by sunbathing and cultural tourism.

This trend aligns with global shifts in travel preferences, as more people prioritize wellness and outdoor activities during their vacations. As Mabrian expert states “travellers are finding new ways to enjoy Greece, combining traditional attractions with active experiences. This trend presents a great opportunity for Greece to promote longer stays, reduce seasonality, and increase tourist spending.”

Beyond the traditional cultural or sun & beach attractions, Greece is positioning itself as a destination for active tourism, as shown by the 10 most visited attractions beyond Athens: popular destinations like Mount Olympus, Ancient Messinia, and the beaches of Crete and Kefalonia are drawing visitors interested in combining cultural and natural experiences. Interestingly, three of these top ten attractions, located in Santorini Island (Ancient Thera and Akrotiri Archaeological Sites, and the impressive Red Beach-Kokkini Paralia), demonstrate how travellers are adventuring beyond iconic spots, as appealing as the towns of Oia, Fira or Imerovigli.

Competitive hotel rates, amidst challenges

Despite the growing competition, Greece continues to maintain competitive hotel rates. As Mabrian spokesperson states, “Greece’s ADRs are still very attractive for European key outbound markets and for American travellers, as hospitality industry is managing to stay competitive in an intense summer market”. However, occupancy rates remain a concern, “as competitive pricing alone may not be sufficient to drive this year’s occupancies”, underlines Mindhaus General Manager.

The report highlights that average daily rates (ADRs) for 2024 summer accommodation in Greece are overall very attractive compared to other Mediterranean destinations. For instance, while Greek 3-star hotels offer rates comparable to Spain’s, 4-star hotels in Greece are slightly higher than other region’s competitors, reflecting the strong demand during peak season. In contrast, 5-star hotels in Greece remain competitively priced compared to their counterparts in Spain and Italy.

Data insights invites optimism for Greek travel & tourism, despite the challenges as stated by Kyratsoulis. “Key stakeholders (whether regional governments, hoteliers and communities) are increasingly moving away from ‘business as usual’ and towards reinventing their role in destination stewardship, management and marketing by setting up DMOs, undertaking branding initiatives and targeting niche market audiences.”

*  Sources: Mabrian travel intelligence (via social listening) travellers’ motivations (full year 2023 and 2024 year to date); hotel prices, world air capacity and flight searches for summer 2024 (May to September); and analysis of 100 million Booking.com reviews and 300 million TripAdvisor reviews (full year 2023, compared to the previous year).

The article Greece’s emerging summer destinations lead the way in tourism growth first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.