Despite the sky-high cost of tickets, travel agents in our community are reporting a 10 to 20 per cent rise in travel bookings from Australia to Greece this year, mainly attributed to Greek Australians visiting the motherland.

The number of expats returning to Greece for the summer is significantly higher than that of 2022.

Estimates from travel agents align with other data, indicating that Greece will once again be a leading summer destination in Europe, with predictions of breaking the 2019 record.

Apart from traditional powerhouses like Germany, the United Kingdom, and France, the Greek tourism industry is seeking additional support to bring back the coveted record that was briefly lost last year.

Early indications show a particularly positive outlook from the United Kingdom and the United States, while there are concerns about the traditional German clientele.

Preliminary data suggests a decline in travellers from Germany due to an increase in the cost of living image and limiting peoples disposable income for discretionary travel.

Studies and research reveal that Greece is highly preferred by tourists from countries outside Europe. Apart from the United States, which confirms an ongoing trend, there is considerable interest from countries such as Canada, Australia, and Brazil, whose citizens consider Greece as a desirable travel destination.

Research Findings

According to the Long-Haul Travel Barometer published by the European Travel Commission (ETC), Greece ranks among the top ten vacation choices for the next few months in four significant distant markets with high tourist expenditure and long stays. Travelers from the United States, Canada, Australia, and Brazil are voting for Greece.

Twelve per cent of American tourists surveyed expressed their desire to visit Greece. It should be noted that, according to the Ministry of Tourism, this year’s direct flights from the United States are expected to bring over one million travellers and generate revenue exceeding one billion euros.

Data for the first quarter of 2023 already shows an increase in arrivals and revenue by over 100 per cent compared to last year.

The most popular destinations for American tourists in Greece are Attica, the South Aegean, and the Peloponnese.

Additionally, Greece ranks sixth with 18 per cent of Australian tourists choosing it as their destination this year, following France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and Spain.

The Australian market share in 2021 was 0.1 per cent, compared to 0.7 per cent in 2016 and 1.1 per cent in 2019, according to a study by INSETE.

The most popular destination for Australian tourists in Greece in 2021 was Attica.

Prior to the Covid pandemic there was a 118.9 per cent increase from 2016 to 2019 (from 2.1 million to 4.6 million) recorded for overnight stays, followed by a 95.2 per cent decrease from 2019 to 2021 (down to 220,000) during the pandemic.