Greece Stays Among Top 5 European Destinations for Travelers, Says ETC

Photo source: Aegean Islands

Greece maintains its position among the top five destinations of choice for intra-European travel from June to November 2024, according to the “Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel – Wave 19” report released by the European Travel Commission (ETC).

The sustained popularity of Greece aligns with broader trends in European air travel, driven primarily by cultural and heritage attractions, which influence 61 percent of travelers, alongside the appeal of sand and beaches, cited by 59 percent. Greece is renowned for offering these sought-after features, contributing to its ongoing appeal.

According to ETC’s survey, on a sample of 4,508 people, Greece is ranked 4th among preferred countries for the next intra-European trip while 5.9 percent of those surveyed said they were planning to visit in the June-November period.

Source: ETC

At the same time, the new survey indicated a six percent increase in the number of Europeans saying that they are eager to travel in the next six months, amounting to a whopping total of 76 percent of those asked.

It should be noted however that the trend showing the geographical preferences for intra-European travel, is less favorable than 2002 and 2003 for the Southern/Mediterranean Europe region, with the percentage of those preferring it being limited to 46 percent, against 47 percent last year and 57 percent two summers ago.

Source: ETC

Experts say that one reason is the changing temperatures and heat waves hitting Southern Europa, even more often than before. The same sources encourage southern governments to take measures to counteract effects of the climate change, including creating cooling spots in tourist areas, increasing the availability of shaded areas and investing in heat resilient infrastructure, such as heat-reflective pavements.

Source: ETC

Greece drawing new visitors

There are yet two more distinctions for Greece in the latest ETC survey. The country is included in the top 10 in Europe, as far as visitor loyalty is concerned, coming 7th.

But most importantly Greece is number one in drawing in new enthusiasts, with Portugal following closely behind the country. Specifically, 28 percent of people asked said that they will be new visitors to Greece, with another 27 percent saying they will be newcomers to Portugal.

Source: ETC

Among Europeans, Greece ranked among the top five preferred destinations for travel, with travelers from Austria, Britain, and Poland placing the country 4th on their list. French vacationers ranked Greece 2nd, and Italian holidaymakers placed Greece 3rd.

“Post-Covid travel trends appear to be solidifying, providing some much welcome stability for the tourism industry. Several key European travel markets are showing strong enthusiasm for the upcoming months,” said ETC President Miguel Sanz when commenting on the “Monitoring Sentiment for Intra-European Travel – Wave 19” report.