Greece's Tourism Holding Strong Well Into Fall, Flight Sales Show - GreekReporter.com (original) (raw)
Tourists queueing for Santorini sunset. Credit: GreekReporter
Greece’s tourism this fall is holding strong, according to official data on booked flight tickets.
The Greek tourism industry is exhibiting remarkably positive signs of growth, extending its usual summer season well into the fall months of September and October this year.
Recent data and industry insights, as published by Greece’s Institute of the Association of Tourist Businesses (INSETE) show a positive trend of rising reservations and visitor numbers. This indicates a strong performance for the sector in the second half of the year, following fears of a drop in the number of visitors compared to 2023.
Greece’s fall tourism growing steadily
According to the most recent data, the total number of available airline seats for the first two months of autumn (September and October) exceeds 7.2 million. This is particularly positive, as Greece has been trying to extend its tourist season for years and turn the country into an all-year-round destination. The most recent data supports this trend, displaying a total of 27,175,289 seats for the indicated period. This represents a considerable 8.1 percent increase over the previous year of 2023.
Additionally, the month-by-month analysis shows that October remains a strong month for Greek tourism, with 2,908,335 seats booked to Greece, accounting for 10.7 percent of the total distribution. This is consistent with industry statistics that show improved occupancy rates in major destinations of the country, such as Crete, Rhodes, and Kos, as well as mainland hotspots like Halkidiki near Thessaloniki and the Peloponnese in southern Greece.
Notably, the summer months of July and August remain the high season of the tourist period for Greece, with each month accounting for roughly 19 percent of total seat distribution. However, the season has managed to be extended well into September and October, accounting for 26.7 of total seats, a significant achievement compared to the past.
The year-over-year growth is especially impressive for the autumn months, with October showing a 6.2 percent increase in available seats compared to 2023. This increase is much more significant in the early months of spring, with May up 14.3 percent and April up 12.3 percent. This creates a more complete picture of the extended Greek tourist period.
Where do tourists who visit Greece come from?
International markets are playing an important role in Greece’s autumn tourism boom. The figures show considerable gains from key European and global markets during the whole summer season compared to 2023.
The United States leads with an impressive 25.3 percent growth rate, followed by Italy at 9.9 per cent, France at 8.3 percent, and Germany at 8.1 percent. The United Kingdom and the Netherlands are also experiencing positive growth at 4.5 and 4.7 percent, respectively.
The extended tourist season into fall benefits both Greece’s tourist industry and travelers alike. Visitors can enjoy more favorable conditions at major destinations, with less scorching hot days and less crowded destinations, which are frequently packed during the high summer months.
Furthermore, autumn travelers frequently benefit from lower pricing compared to peak season rates, as the industry tries to lure more visitors, therefore offering significant discounts. The trend of autumn travel in Mediterranean destinations is not limited to Greece, however. Data shows that it is part of a larger European trend, with Italy, Spain, and Portugal benefiting, as well.