Mastercard: Corfu Among Top 10 Trending Summer Destinations

Beach on Corfu Island.

The Greek island of Corfu is among the Top 10 trending destinations this summer, according to the latest global report released by the Mastercard Economics Institute.

Corfu ranks 8^th on the list which is topped by Munich in first place, followed by Tokyo in 2^nd, Tirana (Albania), Nice (France), Cancun (Mexico), Bali (Indonesia), Bangkok (Thailand), Frankfurt (Germany), and Oranjestad (Aruba).

According to Mastercard analysts, demand for the more frequented beach destinations in Greece remains solid, with the country set to see strong travel growth outside the peak summer months.

Travel demand remains strong in 2024 for Greece, with European flight traffic and overnight stays continuing to grow above 2023 levels.

Demand for travel is strong overall this year with consumer travel spending and passenger traffic through to March 2024 on the rise, found the report which covers some 74 markets.

Additionally, top trends this year include travelers prioritizing meaningful experiences over goods, focusing on value and authenticity, extending their trips by an extra day compared to pre-pandemic 2019, and taking more cruises.

Other key takeaways of the report include:

– more people are traveling for events like concerts or sports such as solar eclipses, Taylor Swift shows, the carnival in Brazil, European Championship the Cricket World Cup

– Japan, Ireland and Romania lead the top 10 destinations in the past year

– an all-time high of about 15.9 million Americans traveled internationally in the first quarter of the year

– consumer prices, especially in the hotel industry, remain elevated relative to 2019 prompting consumers to seek out affordable travel options.

“The resilience and adaptability of the travel sector paired with persistent consumer demand has translated to a strong tourism rebound,” said Mastercard Economics Institute Chief Economist Michelle Meyer.