Greece Keeps Q2 Online Reputation in Tact Despite the News

Greece managed to maintain its online reputation in tact in the second quarter (Q2) of the year (April, May, June) despite a shipwreck and train crash deaths, according to the latest Athens/Greece Sentiment Tracker released by INSETE, the research body of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), in collaboration with TCI Research.

More specifically, Greece’s online reputation (NSI – net sentiment index) was on a steady rise after a drop following the fatal train crash in Tempi in March, only to drop again briefly across all markets with the exception of the Netherlands after the deadly shipwreck in Pylos in June.

However, the country kept its overall score at 55/100 with Athens seeing its NSI index rise to 65 points compared to rival cities under review.

Source :INSETE.

According to INSETE analysts, Greece managed to preserve its online reputation in Q2 despite the negative publicity thanks to positive online conversations focusing on gastronomy, culture and hospitality, all  garnering very high scores (85/100).

Greece’s landscapes, commitment to social and environmental initiatives, such as improving beach accessibility for wheelchair users and the protection of the Neda Gorge all pushed the country’s score upward.

On the downside, in addition to the two fatal accidents, negative online comments focused on lack of cleanliness in public spaces, waiting times for visits to major sites such as the Acropolis, as well as increased tourist flows to popular islands.

Source: INSETE.

In terms of overall traveler experience, the INSETE study found that Greece scored above the European average with travelers from the US awarding the highest scores. The country also scored above the EU average in the Value for Money and Sustainable Travel categories.

Meanwhile, reviews for Athens brought the overall score to 9.08, down slightly from 9.13 in Q1 but still above the European average of 8.73 with the Brits being the most satisfied.