Greece Wants To Attract Senior Tourists

Greece is planning to launch a strategy to attract more senior tourists to the country, the Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni said today, 22 April, while speaking at an event on Senior Tourism held by the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels.

According to a study conducted by the Research Institute for Tourism (ITEP), senior tourism could develop into an essential factor for the lengthening of the tourism season in Greece. The study showed that by 2030, senior tourists will constitute 24 percent of the international tourism market.

The tourism minister said a targeted communication campaign would be planned to attract senior tourists to Greece.

“The increase of senior tourism (in Greece) is a strategic objective,” she said.

However, Mrs. Kefalogianni underlined that alterations to the country’s tourism infrastructure (hotels and public) are necessary to meet the increased needs of this specific group of tourists.

Hellenic Chamber of Hotels President Yiorgos Tsakiris.

The chamber’s president, Yiorgos Tsakiris, said Greece attracts a remarkably low figure of senior tourists and as a result, the country lacks hotels that are tailored to the needs of this specific group of tourists.

ITEP’s research showed that 34.6 percent of Greek hotels are willing to offer special priced packages to the elderly during low season.

The study also said tourists over the age of 55 are less interested in taking a vacation for swimming and sunbathing.

Cultural tourism seems to the most popular form for seniors, especially for holiday-goers from Austria (26 percent), The Netherlands (22 percent), Belgium (22 percent) and Germany (21 percent).