The prospects for the reduction of seasonality in Greek tourism are developing positively, as the new report of the European Travel Commission (ETC) for the fourth quarter of 2024 contains indications of an extension of the season compared to the pre-pandemic period.
According to the data presented in the report, in the fourth quarter of 2024, the increase in flights in the country amounted to 23.7% compared to the levels of the corresponding quarter of 2019 and was stronger than that of the third quarter.
ETC points out that if Greece’s efforts to extend the tourist season to the shoulder months of September and October, in order to benefit the resilience of the sector, are successful, there will be an alleviation of some of the pressures related to over-tourism that are felt in the peak season (July-August).
In fact, our country is among the 5 European destinations that gather the most positive comments from visitors regarding the Value for Money they offer. The remaining destinations with positive comments are San Marino, Latvia, Malta, and Estonia, and online stories about them report that they offer attractive prices in dining, attractions, accommodation,n and public transport.
At the same time, for the whole year, Greece is among the 5 European countries with the most dynamic recovery after the pandemic in terms of international arrivals.
As the report shows, international arrivals to Greece in 2024 (January – October) showed an increase of 13.7% compared to 2019 levels (and an increase of 9.2% compared to 2023).
This increase places Greece in the top five most dynamic countries in Europe compared to 2019, after Malta (+31.7%), Portugal (+17.8%), Turkey (+16.6%) and Iceland (+13.9%).
The increase in arrivals in Greece by market since 2019
Arrivals in Greece for the whole of 2024 from the main markets, Germany, France, Britain, and the USA, appear to have increased significantly since 2019, as our country is, in most cases, among the destinations with the greatest increase in arrivals. Specifically…
-Arrivals of Germans in Greece in 2024 compared to 2019, showed an increase of more than 30%, with Cyprus as the champion (+50.7%), followed by Turkey (approximately +30%), the Netherlands, and Slovenia (approximately 20% for each).
-Arrivals of French people in Greece in 2024 compared to 2019, increased by more than 20%. Again, Cyprus saw a surge in French arrivals by 198%, followed by Slovakia, Malta and Greece.
– The rise in British arrivals in our country reached 28.3%, with a surge in Turkey (+73.1%) and a significant boost for Montenegro (+38.3%). This increase continued after the summer season, which is attributed to the British tendency to seek value and their increasing desire to avoid crowds and high summer temperatures. It is noted that the increase in British arrivals and overnight stays in Portugal continues to exceed the pace of Spain.
-The increase in arrivals from the US to Greece exceeded 20% compared to 2019, but its momentum appears to have decreased in the last months of 2024 compared to 2019, from +32.5% in the third quarter to +23.8% in the fourth quarter. At the same time, from the US market for 2024, there is a surge in arrivals to Turkey (+152%), Portugal (approximately +90%), and Lithuania (approximately +70%).
Europe recovers from 2019 levels
The conclusions of the report for Europe are as follows…
• The latest data from the TourMIS platform confirms that both arrivals and overnight stays in Europe are up compared to 2019 levels, by 6.3% and 5.9% respectively (based on November-December data for most destinations).
• The travel momentum continued throughout 2024, with arrivals up by 6.7% compared to 2023 and overnight stays by +4.8%.
The faster growth in arrivals suggests that the overall average length of stay in destinations is starting to decline, but this varies by sub-region and by destination.
• Iceland once again emerged as a popular destination in Q4, boosted by favorable weather conditions that allowed for greater visibility for the Northern Lights as a key attraction. It may also have benefited from some travel that had been postponed earlier in the year due to volcanic activity.
• Southern/Mediterranean Europe had a quieter end to the year compared to some other destinations, following a very strong summer season. Montenegro stood out with a slide in arrivals, pushing it below 2019 levels.
• Adverse weather conditions, including flooding, snow, and multiple storms, impacted air travel in the last 3-4 months of the year, affecting many key tourist hubs, including France, Spain, Germany and the UK.
• The announcement that controls will be lifted for tourists traveling by road and train in Bulgaria and Romania at the beginning of the year is encouraging for the region that is still lagging behind in its recovery after the pandemic.
RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
