The messages for Greek tourism at ITB Berlin, one of the world’s largest travel exhibitions, give high hopes for 2024, several tourism sector actors said in statements to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency. Greece was an active participant in the 2024 travel show held in early March, during which Greek tourism businesses and the Greek National Tourism Organisation had many business contacts.
GNTO General Secretary Dimitris Fragkakis said that Greece’s participation this year was exceptionally successful, confirming the high demand from European markets and a satisfactory flow of bookings to popular Greek destinations in coming months.
“I am confident about 2024 and consider that, with the good work done by all involved in the tourism sector, we have built firm foundations for the growth of our tourism in the coming years,” he said. He also expressed confidence about an extension of the season, noting that talks with airlines and tour operators showed that the season was starting earlier and would likely be extended into the autumn.
According to the president of the Hellenic Hoteliers’ Federation, Yiannis Hatzis, Greece seems to be constantly gaining ground in the international tourism market, with prebookings up 10% in some areas. “Even though more prebookings mean less revenue in good seasons, we are happy that visitors are so strongly voting for Greece,” he added.
According to the president of the Tourism Research and Forecasts Institute, Konstantina Svynou, Greece continues to attract high demand, especially the South Aegean. Everything pointed to a good year, if not a record year, in terms of arrivals, Svynou reported. She reported a two-digit increase in bookings from the UK and Germany for the island of Kos, for example, with the first flight arriving on March 24.
Also present at ITB Berlin was the head of the Heraklion hoteliers’ association Nikos Halkiadakis, who said Crete seemed to be looking at a record year for arrivals, though many local businesses are concerned over the problems faced by the German tour operator FTI, which brings thousands of tourists to the island.
The CEO of Aldemar Resorts, Alexandros Aggelopoulos, said the challenges for Greece’s tourism market mainly concerned the tight finances of European households, noting that there was a drop in demand in the German market that would require new offers from hoteliers. He pointed out that most five-star hotels had had to lower their prices in 2023, a record year for Greek tourism, in order to get high occupancy.
He also expressed concerns regarding the four big tour operators, while noting that the trend was for smaller accommodations, more virgin destinations and greater control over consumption.
According to the head of the Karpenisi hoteliers’ union, Sofia Flegga, Greece’s mainland destinations continue to be relatively unknown in Europe and much remains to be done in order to better promote them. She said the aim of her visit to ITB Berlin was to “put the Volos airport on the map” of European airlines.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
