
According to relevant surveys and estimations by industry stakeholders, Greek tourism is on course to break all records, with the first 3 months of 2024 posting unprecedented results in terms of room capacity of hotels and Airbnb, compared to the previous year.
The country’s main hotel chamber, the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels, as well as regional hotel chambers, agree that preliminary data on bookings from international visitors are encouraging with arrivals at the Athens International Airport posting a 17% rise for January and February compared to the respective months in 2023.
According to industry sources, the highest increase in arrivals is recorded from the Netherlands (89%), Germany (77%), France (45%), Cyprus (44%), USA (29%), UK (13%), Italy (13%), Spain (11%), while the movement from Switzerland (-1%) and Israel (-9%) has decreased. The rise in movement is attributed to the dynamism of Athens as a city break destination.
The Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) notes that the average hotel occupancy rates in the country witnessed a new uptick in January and February this year compared to last year, with a similar trend observed in hotels in Athens. Specifically, the average occupancy rate in hotels across the country in January reached 41%, up from 38% in the same month last year, and in February it reached 46%, up from 43% last year.
Athens continues to be the European capital with the lowest “Average Daily Rate” (ADR) and consistently leads its competitors, who, despite achieving nearly equivalent occupancy rates during the same period, have much higher average daily rates and better revenue per available room (RevPAR). These affordable rates in Athens, accompanied by the mild winter in the Greek capital present the ideal combination for foreign visitors.
Notably, the average room rate in Athens in February 2024 stood at 92.58 euros, significantly lower than the rates in cities such as Istanbul (114.85 euros), Madrid (138.03 euros), Paris (279.98 euros), Barcelona (154.39 euros), Rome (162.57 euros), etc., cities which also record better revenue per available room (indicatively mentioned as 68.45 euros for Istanbul, 183.39 euros for Paris, 93.86 euros for Madrid, 103.13 euros for Barcelona, 88.93 euros for Rome, etc.).
As industry professionals point out the surge in bookings is unrelated to what is dubbed “revenge travel” – a term referring to a high desire by holidaymakers to travel post-Covid – but is shaping up to be a significant shift in consumer behavior, with travelers upgrading travel to one of their top priorities among other needs.
Source: tovima.com


Latest News

Hotel Foreclosures Continue to Plague Greece’s Islands
A surge in hotel foreclosures across Greece’s islands threatens small tourism businesses, despite booming visitor numbers and record-breaking travel in 2024.

Athens Launches Task Force to Safeguard Historic City Center
The new municipal unit will ensure compliance to zoning laws, curb noise, and address tourist rental issues starting from the Plaka district.

WTTC: Travel & Tourism to Create 4.5M New Jobs in EU by 2035
This year, international visitor spending is set to reach 573 billion euros, up by more than 11% year-on-year

IMF: US Tariffs Shake Global Economy, Outlook Downbeat
IMF slashes global growth forecast to 2.8% as U.S. tariffs create uncertainty and ‘negative supply shock

First Step Towards New Audiovisual Industry Hub in Drama
The project is set to contribute to the further development of Greece’s film industry and establish Drama as an audiovisual hub in the region

Airbnb Greece – Initial CoS Ruling Deems Tax Circular Unlawful
The case reached the Council of State following annulment applications filed by the Panhellenic Federation of Property Owners (POMIDA)

Mitsotakis Unveils €1 Billion Plan for Housing, Pensioners, Public investments
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced a new set of economic support measures, worth 1 billion euros, aiming to provide financial relief to citizens.

Alter Ego Ventures Invests in Pioneering Gaming Company ‘Couch Heroes’
Alter Ego Ventures' participation in the share capital of Couch Heroes marks yet another investment by the Alter Ego Media Group in innovative companies with a focus on technology.

Corruption Still Plagues Greece’s Driving Tests
While traffic accidents continue to claim lives on Greek roads daily, irregularities and under-the-table dealings in the training and testing of new drivers remain disturbingly widespread

Pope Francis Died of Stroke and Heart Failure Vatican Confirms
As news of the official cause of death spread, tributes poured in from across the globe. The 1.4 billion-member Catholic Church is united in grief, remembering a pope who championed inclusion, justice, and compassion