Travel Activity Surges in Greece as Easter Holiday Begins

Easter on Corfu, Greece.

Outbound traffic at the port of Piraeus, Athens International Airport, and on major highways is on the rise as many Greeks set off for the five-day Easter holiday which this year includes the May Day holiday which was moved this year to Tuesday, May 7.

According to coastal shipping companies, the country’s national carrier AEGEAN, and intercity bus services, routes and flights out of Athens are fully booked from Holy Thursday onward.

In the meantime, most seasonal hotels will be opening to meet the Easter demand and to prepare for the summer ahead.

Inbound arrivals are also faring well with available seats to Greece in April up by 12.2 percent and in May by 15.1 percent, based on air data released by INSETE, the Greek Tourism Confederation’s (SETE) research body. International arrivals, according to this data, are headed to Athens and Thessaloniki boosting hotel occupancy beyond previous records.

Top Easter destinations this year include Corfu, Santorini, Patmos, Tinos, Agistri and Aegina, said INSETE. According to the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Tourist & Travel Agencies (fedHATTA), more Greeks will be traveling for Orthodox Easter this year with bookings for organized holidays up by 20 percent over last year.

Greeks will be celebrating Easter on May 5 with warm, sunny weather, according to forecasts.