The Greek tourism season is set to extend well into October and November, according to the views of industry pundits, a sentiment that appears to be backed by relevant data.
Passenger traffic for September posted an impressive 9.7% rise compared to the same period last year, with the total number of visitors transiting the airport amounting to 3.3 million, according to the Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (AIA).
Crete, Rhodes, and Kos, three of the most popular destinations for tourists, have extended their tourist season until November, further boosting tourism demand.
For September, domestic and international passenger traffic surpassed last year’s rates by 4% and 12.3%, respectively.
Between January and September 2024, the number of flights at AIA reached 207,744, marking an 11.6% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Both domestic and international flights saw growth, with increases of 5.2% and 16.6%, respectively, compared to 2023.
Notably, according to data from the Airdata tracker of the Institute of SETE-INSETE, a non-profit organization focused on producing research about Greek tourism, over 4.3 million airline seats were scheduled for September (+7.4% compared to last year), with an additional 3 million planned for October (+6.4% compared to last year).
A recent survey by INSETE showed demand remains strong, with tourists from Germany and the UK continuing to visit Greece. The positive momentum for October is reaffirmed by the relevant data of INSETE’s Airdata tracker which indicates an increase of 6.2% in planned flights compared to the same period last year.
Flights from Germany accounted for 622,000 seats in October, with flights from the UK reaching 590,000 seats. Some Dodecanese islands, such as Rhodes and Kos, as well as Crete are seeing their bookings being extended until November 15.
