Travelers from Belgium and Germany Considering Greece for 2023

The GNTO venue at BOOT 2023. Photo source: GNTO.

Interest in visiting Greece is on the rise in Germany and Belgium, according to data gather by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) following its participation in the Salon des Vacances expo held in Brussels and the BOOT 2023 show held in Dusseldorf.

Based on feedback gathered at the two travel and tourism shows, the GNTO said Greece was among the Top 3 most popular airline destinations for Belgian travelers this year with prebookings on the rise compared to 2022 and sales set to exceed 2022. The German market, meanwhile, is demonstrating an increasing interest this year in marine tourism.

Salon des Vacances 2023: (from left) Deputy Tourism Head of Central Macedonia Region M. Nikolaou; Economic Advisor to the Greek Embassy in Belgium G. Karantzis; Greek Ambassador to Belgium D. Kalamvrezos. Photo source: GNTO.

Greek destinations and organizations featuring in the 64th Salon des Vacances included the regions of Eastern Macedonia-Thrace, Central Macedonia, Western Macedonia, Epirus, North Aegean, Crete, Thessaly and Central Greece, the municipality of Rhodes, the Halkidiki Tourism Organization, the Panhellenic Camping Association and private businesses.

The GNTO also had the chance to promote Greek cuisine and products through daily cooking shows. According to TUI Belgium data, 59 percent of Belgians are aiming to travel at least twice in 2023 with average spending per person to reach 1,330 euros, up by 8 percent over 2019.

BOOT 2023: (from left) Thessaly Region Deputy Tourism Governor Y. Boutinas; GNTO Germany branch Head N. Lekanidou; Advisor to the Greek General Consulate in Dusseldorf E. Georgiou; Skiathos Mayor T. Tzoumas; Thessaly Region representative E. Papatheodorou; Skiathos Deputy Mayor of Tourism D. Mathinos. Photo source: GNTO.

During the GNTO’s BOOT 2023 participation, featured destinations included the Region of Thessaly, the municipalities of Kea and Skiathos, and the Rhodes through the Rodos Tourism Promotion Organization. Among others, the GNTO presented Greek diving destinations and visitable shipwrecks besides organizing B2B meetings and networking opportunities.