Greece was the only European country to participate in the SATTE (South Asia’s Travel & Tourism Exchange) 2025 International Exhibition in India, in New Delhi (19-21/2), attracting the interest of thousands of industry professionals (travel agencies, advertising companies, local authorities, tourism media, etc.).
SATTE 2025 was held at the new Yashobhoomi Exhibition Center, India International Convention and Expo Center in New Delhi and the Hellenic National Tourism Organization participated with a 54 sq m pavilion. The co-exhibitors were the Region of Central Macedonia, Mitsis Hotels, Costa Navarino, Aegean Airlines and the travel agencies MAZI Travel Services and ASIT-ANATOLIA Travel.
The exhibition was attended by more than 2,000 exhibitors from 50 countries, including airlines, travel agencies, hotels and 28 National Tourism Organizations such as Malaysia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Dubai UAE, Egypt, Turkey, Indonesia, etc., while professional visitors, according to the organizers, exceeded 40,000. The head of the Greek National Tourism Organization China Service, Pavlos Mourmas, held more than 70 meetings with professionals in the field, while over 1,300 professionals requested information about Greece from the reception desk of the Greek National Tourism Organization pavilion.
Moreover, the strategy of tourism operators for development in this market is stable.
Based on INSETE, Greece fell 11 places in the Indian market compared to 2023. Specifically, Greece fell 7 places in the Chinese market and 11 places in the Indian market, but rose one place in the US market.
However, it is worth noting that the difference in preference between Greece and the countries that are ahead by one or two places in the US market is only one percentage point. For the Chinese and Indian markets, the countries that are ahead of Greece by up to nine or ten places have a difference of only one percentage point.
Analyzing by market, the top countries that Americans are considering visiting in the next 12 months are Mexico and Canada (countries that benefit from shorter distances and easy road access from neighboring US states), as well as the Bahamas, which complete the top 3. The first European destination is Italy.
For the Chinese, the top three destinations include Singapore, Japan, and Thailand, with France, in ninth place, being the top European destination.
For Indians, Singapore, the USA and Thailand lead the way, while in Europe Switzerland is preferred in 6th place, and for Australians are Japan, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, while Italy is the fourth preferred market.
Greece and competitors
In relation to competing Mediterranean destinations (Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Croatia, Turkey), Greece is in 3rd place in preference in the Australian market, 4th in the USA and China, and 5th in India.
Compared to competing countries (Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Croatia, Turkey) in 2024:
- For the US market, Italy is in 4th place, France in 7th place, Spain in 9th place and Greece is in 13th place
- For the China market, Italy is in 12th place, France in 9th place, Spain in 23rd place and Greece is in 32nd place
- For the Indian market, Italy is in 13th place, France in 12th place, Spain in 22nd place, Turkey in 32nd place and Greece in 36th place
- For the Australian market, Italy is in 4th place, France in 9th place, Greece in 10th place and Spain in 13th place.
It is worth noting that according to estimates by Indian market players, India’s outbound tourism reached $15.2 billion in 2023, with its upward trajectory based mainly on the desire of Indian millennials to explore international destinations.
According to research by Mackinsey, thanks to the country’s growing prosperity and rapidly growing economy, India will become a significant global source market for leisure travel in the coming years.
With a population of more than 1.4 billion, with a median age of 27.6 years – ten years younger than the population of most major economies – and with the country’s projected growth in per capita GDP, Mackinsey estimates that Indian tourists could take 80 to 90 million trips annually by 2040.
The forecast is also supported by the fact that before the pandemic, India’s outbound tourist market was one of the fastest growing in Asia. As early as 2022, it managed to recover 61% of its pre-pandemic size – 13 million outbound tourists – showing the fastest recovery among most Asian countries.
Of these travelers, approximately 70% choose short-haul destinations, with Middle Eastern countries such as the United Arab Emirates dominating. South Asian destinations follow, while for long-haul trips, they choose North America and Western European destinations. Emerging destinations in 2022 include Canada and neighboring Turkey, indicating the potential that Greece could have.
It is worth noting that In December 2023, Athens International Airport welcomed a select group of Indian tourism representatives specializing in the Indian FIT tourism market, luxury tourism, leisure tourism, and wedding events, as well as four members of the Indian tourism press.
At the same time, it has since continued its effort to “mature” the conditions for “intensifying” connections with this market.
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