Halkidiki Makes Strong Comeback in Dutch Market

The Halkidiki Tourism Organization at Vakantiebeurs 2023. Photo source: Halkidiki Tourism Organization.

Halkidiki in Northern Greece is recovering lost ground winning back Dutch travelers, according to feedback gathered during the Halkidiki Tourism Organization’s participation in the “Vakantiebeurs 2023” expo held in Utrecht, Holland.

Participating in the Vakantiebeurs expo which took place after a two-year hiatus due to Covid-19, representatives of travel operators Sunweb and TUI expressed satisfaction with pre-bookings from the Christmas season to January, which they said were up by 44 percent over 2019. Last year, around 20,000 travelers from the Netherlands visited Halkidiki and 22,000 with travel packages local tour operator Reizen van ANWB said that it would be continuing with its special interest tourism program in Halkidiki and had also added a fly & drive program.

Sithonia, Halkidiki. Photo source: Halkidiki Tourism Organization.

According to Bank of Greece data, Greece welcomed 948,000 Dutch travelers in the first 10 months of the year to October 2022 compared to 723,000 in the same period in 2019 marking a 31 percent increase over 2019.

Meanwhile, international guidebook publisher Lonely Planet selected Halkidiki as one of the world’s best places to relax and unwind as part of its “Best in Travel 2023” list.

The Halkidiki Tourism Organization at Vakantiebeurs 2023. Photo source: Halkidiki Tourism Organization.

During the exhibition, the HTO organized several happenings and presentations including a 5-day road trip of Halkidiki starting from Kassandra to Sithonia and to Mount Athos.

According to findings presented during the expo of a Red Online Marketing survey, all the more Dutch travelers are searching for road trip itineraries with many interested in camping.