Halkidiki Expects More Tourists from Belgium in 2023

HTO’s Marketing Director Tania Akritidou at the Salon des Vacances 2023. Photo source: HTO.

The Halkidiki Tourism Organization (HTO) gave an impressive showing at the international tourism exhibition Salon des Vacances 2023 that ran recently in Brussels.

The event this year was attended by an estimated 70,000 visitors, looking for information and inspiration for their next holidays among the show’s 300 exhibitors.

Halkidiki’s stand, hosted at the Greek National Tourism Organization’s (GNTO) venue, was particularly popular among Belgian travelers interested in nature and culture tourism as well as those wanting to travel in small groups and transport with RVs.

Following a series of meetings held between HTO Marketing Director Tania Akritidou and executives from TUI Belgium, tour operator T-HL and luxury vacation agency SilverJet, the organization said Greece and particularly Halkidiki should expect an increase of travelers from the Belgian market for 2023.

Afytos beach, Halkidiki. Halkidiki Tourism Organization.

The news follows Aegean’s relaunch of direct flights connecting Brussels and Thessaloniki during the summer. Flights between the two destinations also operate via Ryanair and TUI Fly Belgium .

Moreover, the Halkidiki Tourism Organization has announced plans to promote the destination in Belgium through a targeted digital campaign starting in April and conduct two press trips focused on gastronomy and nature activities at the start of the tourism season, in collaboration with the GNTO.

Despite the energy crisis, Belgians still plan their holidays based on travel cost (55 percent), the weather (43 percent), and the natural beauty of a destination (38 percent), according to an iVOX survey conducted on behalf of the show’s production company.