South Aegean: The performance of the tourist season exceeded expectations

This year’s tourist season for the islands of the South Aegean exceeded all expectations, even setting a historical record for most islands, since these are considered the best figures of all time.

According to data from the South Aegean region, this year 6,100,000 visitors arrived on the islands of the Dodecanese and the Cyclades with 34,500 flights (a 15% increase compared to 2019, up to 31.10.22), while a significant number of tourists have visited the islands by boat and with cruise ships.

In Rhodes, as well as in most islands, the curtain of the tourist season falls on November 13 and the assessment and planning for the coming tourist season is already being carried out.

Visitors to the island, according to data from “Diagoras” airport, exceeded 2,600,000, more than any other year.

Looking ahead to next season

Everyone’s mind now is on next year, which, although starting with good conditions and good messages, tourism factors estimate that it will be affected – to some extent – by the energy crisis. However, the tourism agents of the island are optimistic, and the president of the Union of Dodecanese Tourist Offices Christos Michalakis, ais asking everyone to be grounded and restrained, as nothing should be taken for granted.

So far there are significant pre-bookings only from Britain, with the climate being positive and better than previous years. This does not presage the final result. This year there was about a 7% to 8% increase compared to 2019. If next year there is a lag dropping to the numbers of 2019, it does not worry tourists operators.

Marine tourism

For marine tourism, i.e. cruises and yachting, the data shows that in the cruise sector the results were excellent and not only Rhodes did well, but the entire eastern Mediterranean region, while the prospects for 2023 are recorded as excellent. This despite the fact Russian tourists use Turkey and have problems visiting Greece

Rhodes at WTM 2022

There is good news for the island of Rhodes from the tourist exhibition in London, which took place at the beginning of the week, for the coming season. , the island’s undisputed global reputation as a premier and safe tourist destination, its historical, cultural and rich natural heritage, value-added elements that contribute to the prominence of Rhodes as a destination for year-round experiences, continue to be a magnet for thousands of British and not only, visitors, as was found once again, during the International Tourism Exhibition WTM 2022, which took place from November 7-9, 2022, in London.

The Municipality of Rhodes was represented at the International Tourism Exhibition in London, led by the mayor of Rhodes, Antonis V. Kambourakis.