Greek Easter Travel Boosts Hotel Occupancy Levels Countrywide

Easter on Corfu.

Destinations across Greece welcomed the boost in occupancy levels and spending during the extended Greek Easter weekend driven in large part by domestic tourism flows.

“Greeks filled all Easter destinations in the largest mass exodus in the last few years,” said Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias, confirming high occupancy levels at hotels at popular Easter destinations. Speaking to local media, Kikilias reiterated that the tourism industry was the “lifeline of the Greek economy”.

The minister went on to add that international arrivals were also on an upward trend confirming forecasts for a good year ahead. Indicatively, tourist activity in Athens was strong during the Greek Easter weekend with hundreds of travelers visiting the Acropolis and the historic center.

Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias. Photo source: Tourism Ministry.

Referring to Corfu, traditionally one of the most popular Easter destinations in Greece, Kikilias said that in under a week more than 260 flights had touched down at the airport 200 of which were international flights.

Additionally, he said occupancy levels at Nafplio, Kastoria, Pieria, Messinia, Xylokastro, Meteora, Porto Heli, Ancient Olympia and Zagorochoria reached 100 percent. Rhodes, Patmos, Crete, Zakynthos, Chios, Lesvos, Syros, Skyros and Kythira also were at full capacity.

Greek hoteliers were expecting occupancy levels for the Easter weekend to outdo pre-Covid 2019 levels for the season.

Kikilias said tourism activity was picking up pace and recovering its pre-Covid 2019 momentum as demonstrated last year with revenues reaching 17.6 billion euros. He estimated that in 2023, travel receipts will be 10 percent higher compared to last year.

Along the same lines. Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) President Yiannis Retsos said he was expecting revenues this year to exceed 18.2 billion euros (and pre-Covid levels) and is forecasting the strong tourism dynamic for Greece to continue in the coming years beyond 2023.