More tourists head for emerging Greek destinations

Emerging destinations in Greece “lead the way in tourism growth” as travellers are increasingly seeking off-the-beaten-path locations, according to new research.

The shifting demand patterns are fostering “a more diversified and sustainable” travel and tourism proposition, according to the Emerging Destinations in Greece 2024 report, by global travel intelligence platform Mabrian and tourism marketing agency Mindhaus.

Mabrian research also found a fifth (21.1%) of visitors cited active experiences as their main reason for visiting Greece, up by 12.1 percentage points on 2019 – making active tourism the main driver to visit Greece, followed by sunbathing and cultural tourism.

Theofilos Kyratsoulis, general manager at Mindhaus, said: “Travellers are increasingly looking for places with less crowds, cool weather and good value.

“At the same time, it is evident that many Greek destinations are currently at a tipping point: very popular ones are facing the challenges of international competition.”

He added: “It is great to see new destinations emerging, from north (Thrace, Lesvos, Chios and Samos) to south (Peloponnese), mainly due to value-for-money, ease in visa procedures and connectivity; but focus should go beyond visitation.”

The report authors noted how critical the tourism sector is for Greece, contributing 19% of the country’s GDP and supporting 800,000 jobs.
In 2023, Greece welcomed more 36 million visitors, up 20.8% year on year.

Attica, the region encompassing Athens, was the most visited, while the Southern Aegean region accounted for the largest share of tourism receipts and overnight stays.

Mabrian found that islands outside the traditional cruise circuits are experiencing a surge in popularity.

The islands of Lesbos and Chios in the North Aegean region saw year-over-year visitor increases of 78.8% and 65.2%, respectively.

Samos (51.7%), Skopelos (+26.6%), and Skiathos (+25.5%) are also gaining traction. Carlos Cendra, partner and director of marketing and communications at Mabrian, said: “Demand to explore places considered less busy or dense in terms of visitation can contribute to enhance tourism sustainability by distributing tourism benefits throughout the country.”

The Peloponnese region has become the fourth most visited destination in Greece, thanks to new luxury developments and other promotional initiatives, Cendra noted.

Pictured: Samos