Greece-bound Austrian Tourists Set to Rise in 2020

The number of Austrian tourists to visit Greece this year is expected to rise according to feedback from a series of meetings in Vienna between Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) President Angela Gerekou and local tour operators.

Gerekou was in Austria for the GNTO’s participation in the annual Ferien-Messe tourism exhibition this month.

The GNTO expects 2020 to be a good year after 2019’s record 515,000 arrivals from Austria.

According to TUI Austria Managing Director Gottfried Math, Greece is in the lead in terms of prebookings compared to rival desitnations. TUI works with 3,600 hotels in Greece, and flights out of Austria serve 16 Greek destinations. Math said for the summer ahead, 100 weekly full charter flights to Greek destinations have already been scheduled.

Meanwhile, executives at Austria’s REWE Group are expecting a 25 percent rise in bookings for Greece, which is one its highest selling destinations. REWE Group offers products to 15 Greek destinations.

On her part, Springer Reisen CEO Andrea Springer, a tour operator specializing in Greece holidays, also said she expects a good year ahead.  The company handles 20 Greek destinations.

During her visit, Gerekou met with executives from airline companies with whom she discussed their summer schedules as well as the possibilitiy of including additional destinations or increasing frequency of existing flights.