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Greece continues to be a leading destination for European travelers, maintaining its appeal even amidst competition from other sophisticated tourist spots in the Mediterranean.
A recent study titled “Brand Greece: How attractive is Greece as a tourist destination? A comparison with competitive Mediterranean destinations”, published by INSETE, the research institute of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), confirms Greece’s enduring popularity.
Top destinations for European tourists
The study highlights that Greece ranks highly among several European nationalities, remaining the third most popular choice for Germans and the fourth for the French. For the British, Greece is still in the top five, though it has dropped two places from the previous year, now ranking fifth.
According to the Bank of Greece, these three countries collectively contributed to 42 percent of Greece’s tourism revenue.
The Spanish, who contribute a smaller share of arrivals and revenue to Greece, rank it seventh among their preferred destinations. This is not surprising, as Spain’s tourism offerings share many similarities with Greece, according to the INSETE report.
For German, French, and British tourists, Spain and Italy remain the top choices. Meanwhile, the Spanish prefer Italy and France for their next trip.
INSETE’s report is based on research conducted by GWI, which carried out surveys in two rounds, one in 2023 and another in 2024. The surveys focused on the travel preferences of visitors for the upcoming 12 months. Notably, the surveys included the summer months, which represent the peak season for the Greek tourism market.
Tourist preferences for 2024
The study also includes detailed insights into European tourists’ vacation plans for the upcoming year:
– Germans: 29.1 percent plan to visit Italy, 28.5 percent Spain, and 20.3 percent Greece.
– French: 31.4 percent prefer Spain, 21.6 percent Italy, and 12.9 percent Greece.
– British: 34.1 percent favor Spain, 22.2 percent Italy, and 19.0 percent Greece.
– Spanish: 29.7 percent want to visit Italy, 23.8 percent France, and 20.6 percent Portugal.
In these cases, the geographical proximity of neighboring countries plays a key role in the tourists’ choices, especially for easy road access.
Comparing Greece to other Mediterranean destinations
The study offers a comparative analysis of Greece and other Mediterranean competitors. It reveals that, for French and Spanish tourists, Croatia and Turkey are not among the top ten preferred destinations. For the German market, Croatia is ranked sixth, while Turkey is in ninth. The British market places Turkey eighth, but Croatia doesn’t make the top ten.
Notably, Portugal and Croatia have seen gains in the German market, while Turkey’s position has improved in the French market. Conversely, in the UK market, Greece fell two places, while Croatia improved its ranking. For the Spanish market, Croatia saw a slight rise, while Turkey dropped significantly by eight places.
“Despite the intense competition, Greece continues to rank highly among travelers’ preferences, demonstrating that its tourism offering is both attractive and resilient,” said INSETE General Director Elias Kikilias.
The general director highlighted that by focusing on sustainability, preserving the unique identity of its destinations, and differentiating its offerings, Greece “can enhance its market share and increase the value of its tourism brand”.
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This post was originally published on here
