Greece Looks to Attract Travelers from Sweden’s ‘Silver Generation’ Market

GNTO at Seniordagen 2023. Photo source: GNTO.

Aiming to tap into the market of Swedish retirees, the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) showcased its tourism offerings at the Seniordagen 2023 B2C outdoor event held at Stockholm’s Kungsträdgården central square earlier this month.

The annual event is exclusively designed for Sweden’s niche audience of retired citizens, commonly known as the Silver Generation. According to the GNTO, retirees in Sweden amount to approximately 2 million citizens, holding around 70 percent of the country’s disposable income.

In its ninth year, the event served as an ideal platform for destinations to capture the attention of the Silver Generation market, which is considered quite lucrative since retirees have the freedom and financial means to travel even up to three times a year.

A GNTO presentation at Seniordagen 2023. Photo source: GNTO.

The GNTO made its debut at the event exhibiting in a 48-square-meter pavilion. The organization’s participation was part of a strategic communication plan launched with the Tourism Ministry that aims to promote Greece’s tourism offerings by showcasing thematic tourism forms to targeted audiences.

Co-exhibitors at the GNTO’s stand included the Central Macedonia Region, the Loutraki Tourism Organization, the Loutraki Hoteliers Association and the Grand Resort Lagonissi that showcased unique thematic tourism products, including thermal springs, wellness tourism, gastronomy/wine tourism and activity tourism.

Seniordagen 2023. Photo source: GNTO.

The Seniordagen 2023 B2C event attracted some 25,000 visitors, most aged 60 and above.

An advertorial on Greece in the “Det Ljuva Livet” (TheGoodlife) publication. Photo source: GNTO.

Many visitors expressed a high interest in exploring new and uncrowded destinations that not only offer sun and sea but also moments of relaxation and tranquility amidst nature. Hiking, gastronomy, wellness, and similar activities were particularly appealing to this discerning audience.

Prior to the event, the initiative received extensive coverage in the special edition “Det Ljuva Livet” (The Good Life), which was published as an insert in Dagens Nyheter (DN), a popular Swedish newspaper with a circulation of 283,000 copies. The publication targeted a diverse audience, comprising 51 percent women and 49 percent men aged between 40 and 65.

A pre-event gathering was held on May 8 attracting representatives from the Swedish tourism market, tour operators, journalists, and members of the Greek Embassy in Sweden.

During the presentation, the GNTO introduced Greece as an ideal holiday destination and highlighted the offerings of Central Macedonia and Corinthia, emphasizing their local gastronomy, spa facilities, and other thematic tourism activities.