Summer 2024: Greece’s Online Reputation Soars with Positive Feedback

Greece’s summer tourism season, spanning July, August, and September 2024, was marked by widespread positive sentiment online, as revealed by new data from the INSETE, the research institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE).

The country continues to perform strongly, with an overall rating exceeding the European benchmark by 0.3 points during the third quarter. This favorable trend is consistent across most regions, including Athens, with all areas (except the North Aegean) scoring at least 9.0 out of 10, reflecting Greece’s ability to consistently meet visitor expectations, even during peak tourist months.

Strong performance across key categories

Among the key factors contributing to Greece’s positive tourism performance, personnel received the most enthusiastic feedback. Written reviews consistently praised the professionalism and hospitality of hotel staff, earning nearly perfect sentiment scores. Value for Money, another crucial measure of visitor satisfaction, remains a key strength, particularly important during the busy summer months.

Additionally, sustainable travel and hygiene also emerged as strong points, with both areas showing high levels of satisfaction among travelers. Sustainability, in particular, took center stage with significant initiatives such as the unveiling of Greece’s first green skyscraper, the Tower in Piraeus, and environmental efforts in Apikia village.

Beyond the well-known tourist hotspots, quieter destinations like Samos and Tilos attracted attention for their serene, untouched landscapes, offering travelers an escape from overcrowded areas.

Cultural and culinary highlights

Culture remains a top topic of conversation among online reviews, generating the highest volume of discussions and maintaining positive sentiment. Similarly, gastronomy tied with culture in terms of sentiment and volume, underscoring the strong appeal of Greece’s food offerings. Regions like Central Greece, Peloponnese, and Thessaly led in cultural ratings, while Crete, the Ionian Islands, and West Greece excelled in food and beverage experiences.

In terms of seaside activities, Epirus once again topped the rankings, with the Cyclades and Peloponnese following closely behind.

Sustainability and hygiene lead positive conversations

Among Greece’s regions, Central Macedonia attracted the most praise for its sustainable practices, while the Cyclades and East Macedonia and Thrace scored highest for hygiene.

In contrast, the environmental topic experienced a dip in sentiment due to ongoing extreme weather events, including wildfires and droughts affecting Southern Europe.

A shift in visitor sentiment: The Net Sentiment Index – Greece in Top 5

Greece’s overall performance in the third quarter, as measured by the Net Sentiment Index, started with a relatively low score in July. However, there was a marked improvement through August and September, positioning Greece fourth, alongside Portugal, in global rankings.

This positive recovery was also evident in Athens, which saw a similar trend, recovering from a low score in July and placing sixth in comparison to other European cities.

Challenges: Environmental issues and safety concerns

Despite the overall positive sentiment, the third quarter was not without challenges. Negative online discussions were largely centered around environmental issues, particularly related to climate events. A major incident in Volos, where thousands of freshwater fish died, drew widespread attention, as did wildfires near Athens and the ongoing drought in Southern Europe.

Additionally, security concerns emerged, with some reports of tourist safety incidents. Notably, a 19-year-old Dutch couple was attacked while vacationing in Crete, and a controversial situation in Balos, where hundreds of tourists were forced to disembark from a ferry and wade into the sea due to overtourism concerns, also received negative attention.

Global engagement: Greece’s e-reputation

The sentiment index reflects the state of Greece’s online reputation in travel discussions. In the third quarter of 2024, Greece was mentioned 268,000 times in social conversations related to travel, generating 2.6 million engagements from 67,000 unique authors across 200+ countries.

The top five international markets driving online conversation about Greece were the United Kingdom, Italy, the United States, France, and Germany. Among these, visitors from the United States and the United Kingdom provided the highest overall ratings, both exceeding 9.0 out of 10, followed by Germany, France, and Italy.