Greek Tourism Season Extends into Autumn with Increased Airline Seat Capacity

An increase in seat capacity on incoming flights to Greece is observed for the autumn months, according to Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) President Yiannis Paraschis.

During a presentation of SETE’s new initiative, METRON Sustainable Tourism, which aims to guide tourism businesses toward sustainable practices, Paraschis noted that recent data by the SETE Institute (INSETE) shows an extension to Greece’s tourism season this year.

The latest figures from INSETE’s Airdata Tracker show that the number of scheduled airline seats on inbound international flights for September and October 2024 is on the rise compared to 2023.

Specifically, the data indicates that seat capacity on international flights to Greece has increased by 7.5 percent in September and 6.2 percent in October, with the total number of available seats for these two months exceeding 7.25 million.

Paraschis’ comments follow recent data from the Bank of Greece, which reported a decline in tourist spending during July, traditionally a peak month for tourism.

In July, travel receipts fell by 4.2 percent compared to the same month in 2023, totaling 4.03 billion euros. The decline is attributed primarily to a 9.1 percent drop in average expenditure per trip.

“There’s no need to over-analyze the figures for a single month. We’ll need to wait for the overall results of the third quarter before drawing any concrete conclusions,” said Paraschis.

Trends that may determine course of tourism revenue

SETE President Yiannis Paraschis. Photo source: SETE

Paraschis then highlighted broader trends in the tourism industry that may determine the course of tourism revenue in 2024.

Using data from INSETE to provide context, SETE’s president said that key observations include:

– Firstly, travelers are opting for more frequent but shorter trips, with the average length of stay decreasing from 7.5 to 6.6 days. The rise in city breaks outside the peak summer season contributes to this shift.

– Secondly, inflation and declining disposable income are impacting travel spending, both in Greece and in tourists’ countries of origin.

– Additionally, road tourism has seen significant growth this year, increasing by 14 percent in the first eight months compared to an 8 percent rise in air travel.

Paraschis noted that road tourism, which generally involves shorter trips and generates lower spending per visit, has contributed to these overall trends.

Despite these challenges, SETE’s president pointed out that the positive results from the first two quarters of 2024 offer promising signs for reducing seasonality in Greek tourism.

“2024 has been another strong year for Greek tourism, thanks to the powerful Greece brand we’ve built in recent years,” Paraschis said. “However, this momentum is not invincible or guaranteed for the future. We must work to protect it.”

On Greek government’s new measures for tourism

Photo source: SETE

Paraschis also addressed the government’s proposed new measures on the tourism industry aimed at fostering a sustainable tourism model – that include a planned increase in the climate resilience fee and a new levy imposed on the cruise sector – and touched on the topic of overtourism.

“Greece does not suffer from overtourism… Issues like housing shortages and lack of infrastructure have sparked premature discussions about overtourism,” he stressed.

Paraschis reiterated that SETE, as a “responsible social partner”, supports initiatives aimed at increasing transparency and improving regulatory controls in the tourism sector. He also backed the idea of a reasonable increase in government revenues, provided they are tied to specific, costed actions focused on upgrading infrastructure and ensuring the sustainable operation of tourism destinations for both residents and visitors.

However, Paraschis stressed the need for consultation with industry stakeholders before any decisions are made.

“We cannot support measures that are purely revenue-driven, as these have already proven ineffective and only harm the competitiveness and sustainability of our tourism product,” he concluded.