Overseas markets such as the United States, Australia, China, Japan, South Korea, and Canada offer substantial opportunities for the further development of Greek tourism, given the long travel times to Greece from these destinations (over 10 hours).
High-spending travelers from overseas markets
Travelers from these markets typically belong to higher income brackets and tend to have significantly higher daily per capita expenditures compared to tourists from traditional European markets such as Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, which currently form the backbone of Greek tourism.
Greece's ranking in overseas markets
According to the Long-Haul Travel Barometer (LHTB), a survey conducted by the European Travel Commission and Eurail BV, Greece ranks highly among overseas travelers:
- Fifth (tied with Austria) among Americans and Australians
- Sixth among Canadians
- Seventh among Brazilians and South Koreans
- Ninth among Japanese
- Tenth among Chinese
Potential for increased tourism revenue
These overseas markets represent a significant population base, potentially leading to a new era of growth and increased revenue for Greek tourism. Across all markets surveyed, 38% of respondents expressed a willingness to spend over 200 euros per day, more than double the average daily per capita expenditure in Greece in 2023.
Factors influencing destination choice
Security, quality of accommodation infrastructure, and price competitiveness are key factors influencing the final choice of destination, according to the survey.
Travel intentions for 2024
Among respondents from the seven key overseas markets surveyed, 75% plan to visit Europe in 2024, while the remaining 25% are considering other regions. Greece consistently ranks among the top 10 choices and higher in some markets.
Reasons for avoiding travel to Europe
Those who plan to avoid traveling to Europe in 2024 cite the war in Ukraine, tensions in the Middle East, previous visits to the continent, high airfares, and limited vacation time as the primary reasons.
