The Greek tourist season kicked off earlier this year, thanks to the Catholic Easter holiday, with promising signs pointing towards strong momentum expected to meet or surpass last year’s international arrivals.
Major hotel establishments in Crete, Rhodes, Kos, and Corfu are progressively reopening to greet incoming international tourists.
The opening act of this year’s season features the German and British markets stepping into the spotlight, poised to lead throughout the summer tourism period.
On her part, the Minister of Tourism, Olga Kefalogianni, stated that all indications point to 2024 being an exceptional year for Greek tourism. “Greece has established itself as one of the top tourist destinations worldwide and remains at the forefront despite difficult international conditions,” the minister noted.
Major tour operators like TUI and Jet2.com have expanded their flight offerings and vacation packages to popular Greek island destinations for both Easter and the summer season.
Notably, over 15,000 foreign visitors traveled to Crete during the last week of March, including those coming for Catholic Easter celebrations and vacations.
On Easter Sunday, Rhodes saw 25 international flights from various European countries and one flight from Israel. These operators have also introduced new Greek destinations in their offerings.
Optimism among tourism industry stakeholders is high, with significant and growing interest from key markets such as the UK and Germany, as well as other important markets for Greek tourism.
However, stakeholders are now focused on converting the increased arrivals into longer stays, acknowledging the trend among visitors, particularly Millennials, towards shorter trips.
