The favorite holiday destinations of British travelers for 2023 were announced on Wednesday at the 2nd annual Greek Travel Awards ceremony, which took place at Six Park Place London, organized by the office of the Greek National Tourism Organization in the UK.
Ten awards were presented to destinations across Greece in thematic categories ranging from Best Sailing to Best Instagrammable Destination, plus two special Greek Holiday Heroes awards.
The winners were determined by over two thousand travelers who voted through leading package holiday comparison websites icelolly.com and TravelSupermarket, both part of parent company Ice Travel Group.
The 2nd Greek Travel Awards UK ceremony was presented by Greek-British actor, TV presenter, Times Radio host, and consumer champion of The Real Hustle, Alexis Conran.
The Region of Ionian Islands and the islands of Kos and Samos were destination sponsors. The Hellenic Aquaculture Producers’ Organization provided fish from Greece and worked with 2019 MasterChef UK winner Irini Tzortzoglou to curate and produce a delicious Greek fish-based menu for the guests of the gala dinner that followed the awards ceremony.
The winning Best Greek Travel destinations for UK travelers 2023
The birthplace of the Olympic Games, Olympia, in the Peloponnese, succeeded over both Thessaloniki and Crete as best culture destination.
When looking at active holidays, the Northern Sporades island of Alonissos emerged on top as a favorite for diving over Kea and Amorgos.
The Ionian island of Kefalonia topped the mountainous Zagori and the northern Aegean island of Lesbos for best walking destination. Ithaca, also an Ionian island, took first place ahead of Andros and Symi as voters’ favorite sailing destination.
Kos, in the Dodecanese, was awarded top spot for the best Greek destination for biking.
Another island of the Dodecanese, the tiny Lipsi, was highlighted as best sustainable destination, competing with fellow candidates Astypalaia, in the same archipelago, and Nymfaio, a picturesque village in Western Macedonia.
Santorini, with its stunning views and dramatic volcanic landscape, was announced best “instagrammable” destination in Greece, winning over both Meteora and Zante.
Paros, which is also among the most popular islands in the Cyclades, won the award for best luxury destination over the areas of Chalkidiki and the Peloponnese, located in the northern and southern parts of the Greek mainland respectively.
Skiathos and Rhodes named Greek Holiday Heroes
The evening also celebrated the heroes of the industry who came together during the wildfires and floods over the summer.
The islands of Rhodes and Skiathos received special awards for their successful handling of the climate challenges that they dealt with in the summer of 2023.
“The Greek Travel Awards were a great way to celebrate the conclusion of the 2023 World Travel Market in London, offering a fitting tribute to our enduring partnership with the British trade for their constant support to Greece, which has once again resulted in a record-breaking year in tourism,” said Eleni Skarveli, Director of the UK Greek National Tourism Organization.
“These Awards enable us to spotlight all the unique and diverse Greek destinations, ensuring that British holidaymakers will have a wealth of choices for their 2024 vacations,” Skarveli concluded.
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