ITB Berlin 2024: German Tour Operators See Greece as Top Choice this Year

Alltours press conference at ITB Berlin 2024. Photo source: alltours

Tour operators alltours and TUI are naming Greece as a top choice for German travelers this year and confirming a strong demand for Greek destinations this summer, according to data presented at ITB Berlin 2024 this week.

Addressing the press at ITB, Georg Welbers, managing director of German tour operator alltours, said bookings were up by 12 percent for the summer season and by 18 percent for winter. The Top 3 destinations winning over German travelers are Spain, Turkey, and Greece with Majorca in the absolute lead.

alltours’ Greece program includes 19 destinations with the islands of Crete, Rhodes and Kos the most frequently booked. The tour operator also offers holiday trips to other islands, such as Thassos, Kefalonia, Mykonos and Santorini.

Rhodes, Greece.

According to alltours, current trend destinations for its customers in Greece include Naxos, Paros, Samos as well as Athens and the surrounding area.

Looking ahead, alltours expects a 3 percent rise in the number of customers, a 6 percent increase in sales, and forecasts a 3 to 4 percent increase in travel costs.

TUI: Strong demand for Greece this year

At the same time, also addressing the press at this week’s ITB, TUI Deutschland CEO Stefan Baumert also confirmed strong demand by German tourists for Greece this year.

TUI Deutschland CEO Stefan Baumert. Photo source: ITB Berlin

More specifically, bookings for three destinations in Greece – Crete, Rhodes and Kos – are on the rise. Baumert said he was expecting an all-time high for Greece this summer.

In the lead in terms of sales is Majorca in Spain marking a 31 percent rise compared to the same period in 2022, followed by the Turkey (+29 percent).

Baumert went on to add that there was a rising demand for family travel options, 80 percent of all bookings concern the summer season, top months based on bookings are June and July, planned trips are the company’s most popular, and lastly, travelers are willing to spend more on added services.

In an interview to DW, TUI Spokesperson Susanne Stünckel confirmed demand for Greece this summer adding that in addition to Crete and Rhodes, German travelers are also interested in visiting Corfu, Kos, Samos, Zakynthos, and Santorini. TUI’s program this year includes 24 destinations in Greece with over 4,500 participating hotels.

GTP is attending ITB Berlin 2024. Follow us for updates.