According to news.com.au, Aussies are keener now more than ever to head over to Greece. Webjet revealed bookings to Athens have gone up a whopping 369.5% with the Greek capital the third most searched international destination for travel between June 1 and August 1 this year, a huge climb from placing 9th in 2022.
It also came fourth as the most popular destination booked by 18-25-year-olds during those same months.
Meanwhile, Greece is dominating TikTok travel bucket lists, with #greekislands and #santorini racking up a combined total of 12 million views in Australia in the last four months.
“Greece seems to cast a unique spell over Aussies during the European summer season,”
David Galt, CEO Webjet OTA, told news.com.au.
“Over Easter, Aussies were choosing to jet off closer to home with Bali, Auckland and Christchurch nabbing the top international travel spots in 2023.
“But now, with the promise of glistening blue waters and sunshine, Greece has jumped right into the top three most searched international destinations for EU summer.”
While Greece has always been a popular destination for Aussies during this season, scoring the ninth most searched international destination in the same period last year, Webjet has seen bookings boom by a big 369.5 per cent compared to 2022.
“There are likely a number of factors at play including the rise of travelling for pleasure rather than post-Covid VRF (visiting relatives and friends) travel,” Mr Galt said.
“But anyone who finds themselves on TikTok would be hard-pressed to miss the millions of views racking up on videos associated with Greek travel, particularly around islands such as Santorini.”
The destination is also proving particularly popular with a younger audience, with Athens being the fourth most booked international destination for the EU summer this year among 18 to 25-year-olds.
“It’s no surprise when you look at the itineraries full of culture, beaches, and outstanding views being shown across TikTok,” Mr Galt told news.com.au.
