Survey: Migration/Refugee Crisis Affects Perceived Image of Greece as a Destination

Potential visitors from the UK, Germany and the US continue to perceive Greece as a safe destination, according to a survey carried out by Censuswide for SETE Intelligence.

However, as the survey shows, the percentage of respondents stating that the migration/refugee crisis affects their perception of Greece as a travel destination, has increased.

Following the release of a survey in January, SETE Intelligence once again assigned Censuswide, an independent research company, to conduct a survey on how travellers of the UK, Germany and the US perceive Greece, Spain, Italy, France, Thailand and Turkey.

Censuswide interviewed 3,046 respondents in total in the UK, Germany and the US from April 12 until April 14. The survey was conducted on its international panel from a random sample of those who have or would visit Greece.

In regards to the migration/refugee crisis, 52 percent of German respondents said that it affects their travelling perception of Greece, compared to 46 percent of respondents interviewed in the first survey.

Likewise, the survey recorded a 16 percent increase in potential UK travellers that said the migration/refugee crisis affects their travelling perception of Greece (55 percent of travellers compared with 39 percent of respondents in the first survey).

Over the past three months, the migration/refugee crisis has also affected the US market in regards to travel to Greece (31 percent of Americans said the crisis affects their travelling perception of Greece against 28 percent of respondents in the first survey).

The study highlighted the need for the government to deal “promptly and effectively” with the challenges of the migration/refugee issue as the tourism season has already begun.

“The government by all means must ensure that the daily life of local communities will not deteriorate, the economy and employment will not be hit and the operation of tourism enterprises and the quality of the tourist services will not be affected, regardless of any additional effects that may occur to Greece’s image, arrivals and state revenue.”