ETC: Greece a Top Pick for Europeans Planning Upcoming Trips

Thasos, Greece.

Greece is among the Top 10 countries Europeans are considering for their next trip, according to data released this week by the European Travel Commission (ETC).

In a survey, carried out in Germany, the UK, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Spain, Poland, and Austria in December 2022 and covering travel plans for the January-June 2023 period, Greece ranked 5^th with an overall score of 5.8 percent after France, Italy, Spain and Germany.

More specifically, according to the ETC’s “Monitoring Sentiment for Domestic and Intra-European Travel” report, Greece was the 5^th destination of choice mentioned by the Germans, 4^th for the French, 5^th for the Belgians, 3^rd for the Polish and 4^th for the Austrians.

Overall, according to the ETC, 77 percent of travelers in Europe plan to take a trip in the first six months of the year up by 16 percent over 2022.

Source: @ETC.

A total of 37 percent said they will spend between 1,000 – 2,000 euros per person per trip (this includes accommodation, transportation and travel activities), up by 6 percent compared to a year ago while 19 percent aim to spend more than 2,000 euros.

Additionally, 63 percent of those polled said they wanted to travel abroad, up by 13 percent over last year.

“The recent figures show that travel remains a top priority for Europeans in the first half of 2023. This is welcome news, especially considering much of the intended travel is planned within Europe,” ETC President Luís Araújo.

Araújo went on to add that in order for destinations and the industry to capitalize on consumer confidence and early bookings, they should closely follow and anticipate shifts in consumer needs and tailor its offers accordingly.

Nafplio, Greece.

Other key takeaways of the ETC report:

– 23 percent of Europeans are concerned about increasing travel costs

– to deal with the financial challenges, 44 percent said they had already fully or partially booked their next holiday, up by 7 percent over 2022

– for those traveling on a budget, 18 percent plan to reduce their shopping at the destination, 16 percent book less expensive accommodation and 15 percent choose more affordable restaurants

– despite the cost-of-living crisis, 59 percent said that travel is the only “discretionary expense” they are prepared to maintain or increase (16 percent)

-58 percent of respondents said they plan to travel at least twice either domestically or internationally in the coming months.