A part of the German tourists who visit Greece must be old sympathizers of left politics feeling nostalgia but also wanting to express solidarity towards the crisis stricken country.
This assessment belongs to Nuremberg based market research company GfK which recorded an increase in the number of German visitors to Greece over the age of 65, but did not provide any concrete data on their political convictions.
Irreplaceable
Another, perhaps more convincing, explanation was provided by the President of the German Association of Travel Agencies DRV Norbert Fimpich who said to Deutsche Welle: “Ultimately the reason that Greece remains popular is that it has a multitude of friends. For them, the country is simply irreplaceable. They want to go there, to the small islands, to the Greeks who love them and usually behave amicably. With the exception of some enemy voices in the media, some time ago, the Greeks are pro-German. The Germans appreciate this as much as the local tavernas. All this is unique and keeps sending them back over and over again“.
On yet another account, Dr. Michael Frenzel, the president of the Federal Association of the German Tourism Industry (BTW) noted that the principal reason German tourists prefer Greece is the good value-for-money ratio. As he told Deutsche Welle: «There is always a possibility, especially in popular destinations, that the local players will succumb to the temptation to raise prices. But, eventually, among different destinations from the same region, competition prevails. The main competitors in the Mediterranean are Spain, Turkey, Greece and Egypt. Sometimes, when conditions favor it, one country or another will try to raise prices but, tourists will perceive this and, by reacting very sensitively and quickly, they shall restore equilibrium. So, as far as prices are concerned, the Greek market has adopted a reasonable stance. This, combined with the fact that Greece traditionally belongs to the most popular destinations for German tourists and a right mix of prices and offerings remain the main secrets for success».
Value for money
According to market research institute GfK, year-to-date bookings for 2015 to Greece from Germany, by end of January 2015, were up by 12.8 percent in comparison to the same period last year, with the average booking 1 percent cheaper compared to 2014.
Gfk has also reported that the most popular resorts for Germans in Greece are the Dodecanese islands, followed by Crete, Athens and Thessaloniki. Greece is seen by Germans as the ideal destination for families with three or more members, for people aged between 35 and 64 years old and for tourists with higher incomes. The main reason Germans visit Greece for is the sun and the sea and all the activities related to that mainstream form of tourism. The market research institute recommended targeted advertising with the promotion of Greek cultural heritage, its natural beauties and gastronomy.
