Athens has secured a coveted position among the Top 10 most sought-after city destinations for the upcoming summer season of 2023. This revelation comes from ForwardKeys, a renowned travel intelligence provider that analysed flight search data for the period between July 1 and August 31.
Athens, the capital of Greece, secured the tenth spot on the list with an impressive index value of 51. This signifies the city's popularity as one of the most frequently searched-for destinations. The leading cities on the list include Bangkok, Paris, London, Denpasar, Barcelona, New York, Lisbon, Istanbul, and Madrid.
Palma Mallorca, Singapore, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Los Angeles, Rome, Manila, and Frankfurt complete the prestigious Top 20 rankings. Furthermore, several other cities are gaining momentum as desirable summer destinations. This includes Antalya, Berlin, Cancun, Cairo, Delhi, Dubai, Dublin, Ho Chi Minh City, Malaga, Marrakech, Miami, Milan, Punta Cana, San Francisco, Seoul, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Warsaw, Valetta, and Vienna.
Noteworthy changes from the previous year's rankings include Bangkok climbing three places, London maintaining its position, Denpasar rising by six spots, and Athens making a significant entrance into the Top 10 after holding the 11th position in 2022.
Other remarkable advancements include Tokyo's impressive leap of 53 spots to secure the 13th position, Kuala Lumpur's rise by 24 places, Singapore's ascent by 14 places, and Manila's climb by 8 places. The most notable mover on the list is Taipei, skyrocketing by an astonishing 161 places to claim the 56th spot, followed by Hong Kong, which rose by 129 places to secure the 39th position, and Seoul, ascending by 56 places.
Olivier Ponti, the Vice President of Insights at ForwardKeys, congratulated Bangkok for attaining the top spot this summer. He expressed that the city's popularity serves as a promising indicator of a return to normalcy in the wake of the pandemic, particularly with the reopening of Asian markets. This is further evidenced by the inclusion of 19 mainstream Asian cities in the Top 100 list.
Earlier this year, Greece was also recognised as one of the ten most sought-after destinations in Europe, further solidifying its appeal among travellers.
Parallel to this report, ForwardKeys also highlighted the growing interest in city and shopping travel, which is increasingly rivalling the popularity of traditional sun and beach holidays. Notably, the demand for popular urban destinations has surged by an impressive 42 percent this summer, nearly double the growth rate of traditional sun and beach destinations, which experienced a 22 percent increase compared to the previous summer.
Read also 7 Best Beach Bars in Mykonos
