Greece, it seems, is enjoying an endless summer. Proof is the fact that it is October, but tourism in Greece is still going strong. In fact, it was one of the best months for tourism in recent history, and there were more tourists in the country than any other previous October.
This is the announcement the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) made recently. Revenues for 2022 have already surpassed the 18.2 billion euros ($17.92 billion) generated in 2019. At the moment, Greece is set to have earned around nineteen billion euros ($18.7 billion) for the current year. This follows in the footsteps of an outstanding July.
Demand for flights shows tourism in Greece almost as high as summer
According to Insete’s recovery tracker, airline seat capacity for flights to Greece from the 29th of September to the 2nd of October reached an astonishing 708,929. For the following week of October 3rd through October 9th, it was at 617,000. For the period October 10th to October 16th, capacity hit 584,000 and 540,544 from the 17th to the 23rd. The number of flights to islands, such as Crete, Kos, and Rhodes, were also high.
Most visitors to the nation this autumn came from the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Poland, Cyprus, and Israel. With the exception of Israel, tourists stemmed, in essence, from places where the change from warm summer to chillier autumn weather had already begun. Tourists came during this moment of transition.
For that reason, companies like the UK’s airline Jet2 are now planning to extend their 2023 program with the provision of new routes and more seats.
“According to reservation and ticket date for September and October, tourist flows are not only ongoing, but in several instances stronger,” stated the Greek Tourism Minister.
Why is Greece doing so well? Perhaps because six Greek locations were in the top ten for travel in Europe this year for the months of July, August, and September.
Record demand for Airbnbs
The demand for Airbnbs this September and October reflects this trend. The number of pre-bookings for those months stretched the 2022 summer season out and brought in additional revenue for the country.
The Panhellenic Network of E-Real Estate rentals released a study this Friday in which they revealed that pre-bookings for Airbnbs had reached eight-five to ninety-five percent in September and would probably climb to sixty to eighty percent in October.
This increased demand for short-term stays included rentals on thirteen major islands. These include those in Patmos, the Dodecanese, Skiathos and Skopelos in the Sporades, and Hydra and Spetses in the Saronic islands. The Cycladic islands of Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Tinos, Mykonos, Andros, Kea, and Kythnos are, of course, also booked out for the month.
The island with the highest demand of ninety-five percent in September was Santorini, which had 3,739 bookings. Skiathos came second with eighty-nine percent of its 631 units reserved. Hydra was at eighty-eight percent with 329 properties. Demand for Skopelos was at eighty-six percent with 824 pre-booked rentals while Naxos was at eighty-two percent with 2,411 of its accommodation units booked. Kythos (268), Paros (2,902), and Mykonos (3615) also saw high demand.
“The short-term rental accommodation model can help extend the tourism season,” the president of the Panhellenic Network of E-Real Estate rentals said. This would suit the promotion of Greece’s National Tourism Organization quite well.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
