Athens Welcomes 460,000 Travelers from Scandinavian Countries in 2023

Travelers at Athens International Airport. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

The appeal of Athens for travelers from Scandinavian countries such as Denmark, Norway and Sweden is on the rise, according to recent data from Athens International Airport (AIA).

Presenting data during a recent event at the airport, AIA Director of Communications and Marketing Ioanna Papadopoulou stated that the Greek capital welcomed approximately 460,000 Scandinavian travelers in 2023.

According to the data, 75 percent of the Scandinavians that landed in Athens last year traveled for vacation, while others arrived for business or to visit friends and relatives.

The average age of travelers from Sweden, Denmark, and Norway is 44 years. Among them, 68 percent booked their reservations via airline websites, and 22 percent preferred the assistance of travel agents.

AIA Director of Communications and Marketing Ioanna Papadopoulou. Photo © Greek Travel Pages (GTP)

Additionally, the data showed that Scandinavians travel five times per year on average, with a holiday duration of 14 days.

“This means that they come to Athens, stay for a few days, and may continue on to another Greek destination,” Papadopoulou said.

Rise in Swedish Travelers to Athens

According to Papadopoulou, 200,000 Swedish travelers visited Athens in 2023, an increase of 8 percent compared to 2019.

The data showed that 67 percent of Swedes came to Athens for holidays, 9 percent visited for business reasons, and 20 percent came to see friends and relatives.

Denmark and Norway

Source: AIA

Moreover, Papadopoulou said Denmark and Norway remain major tourist markets for Athens among the Scandinavian countries.

The number of Danish travelers in Athens last year was 160,000, with 63 percent of them traveling for vacation reasons.

Papadopoulou added that the Danes were the Scandinavian “champions” in the business and family travel categories, with 15 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

Last year, approximately 100,000 Norwegians arrived in the Greek capital, with 80 percent of them visiting for holidays, 6 percent for business reasons, and 11 percent to visit friends and relatives.

Athens recently shined as the unknown destination of Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) in its “Destination Unknown” marketing campaign.