South Aegean Region: 47,900 International Flights in Jan-Oct

More than 6.5 million people visited Greece’s South Aegean islands in the first 10 months of the year on 47,900 international flights surpassing 2022 levels for the same period by 1 percent despite the fires on Rhodes, the region’s largest island.

More specifically, according to data provided by the regional authority, which does not include domestic or arrivals by sea, and despite the impact of the fires which raged for days, Rhodes managed to recover quickly marking a 4.2 percent rise in July over the same month in 2022 and a 3 percent increase over last year.

Kos also reported a 5 percent increase in arrivals compared to 2022 in the 10-month period

On the downside, both Santorini, and Mykonos recorded 5 percent and 9 percent declines, respectively, in the period under review.

Photo source: Region of South Aegean

Additionally, according to the data, in the March-October period, 1.4 million passengers traveled to the region’s islands, which include the Dodecanese and the Cyclades, through Athens International Airport, marking a 25 percent increase over the same period in 2022.

In the January-September 2022 period, the region’s airports handled 4.8 million visitors arriving on 31,000 international flights.

Citing Bank of Greece tentative data, the region said travel receipts in the South Aegean are expected to be the highest of all regions in Greece.

“We are pleased and at the same time aware of the fact that the competition was, is and will continue to be even tougher but what has the greatest value is striving to be better,” said South Aegean Governor George Hatzimarkos.