The messages for Greek tourism coming from Austria are exceptional, with the demand for this year’s tourist season exceeding all expectations. At the same time, there is a strong interest from the British for family vacations in Greece as our country continues to be promoted on the British market. These highly encouraging figures emerged in two promotional activities of Greece, in Austria and England, by the respective EOT Services abroad (Austria and the United Kingdom & Ireland) that took place in the two countries in the previous period.
Austria
98% of charter flights from Western Austria and specifically from the airport of Innsbruck (capital of Tyrol) have Greece as their destination. This emerged in the promotion event of Greece co-organized with the largest travel organizer in Western Austria, Ideal Tours, and the EOT Service of Austria. The event took place in early May at Innsbruck Airport, in the presence of 120 agents, tour operators, Tyrol Airport representatives and journalists. It is worth noting that it is the first major event of tourist interest organized in the country after the pandemic.
In fact, Innsbruck airport directly connects to 6 Greek destinations: Kalamata / Peloponnese, Halkidiki, Kavala / Thassos (new destination for 2022), Epirus, Lefkada and Kefalonia. The demand for Greece has exceeded all expectations and the time extension of the Ideal Tours program for 2022 is expected, as well as the attraction of other travel organizers.
It is also noteworthy that 90% of bookings are made through Tourist Offices and not online, in line with the pre-pandemic trend. Greece is the most popular holiday air travel destination from Austria and the country that has once again won the public’s trust after the impeccable management during the previous two years of the special situation that arose due to a pandemic.
Britain
With the participation of EOT in two thematic road shows (Family & Mediterranean) that were addressed to the most important TOs throughout the United Kingdom, the Travel Bulletin Showcases took place in Glasgow (05/04/22) and Southampton (16/05/22). The two themed road shows were addressed to the most important travel agents throughout the United Kingdom and were organized by the professional magazine “Travel Bulletin”. Greece has promoted its enriched tourism product in Scotland and the South of England, seeking to strengthen business relationships with a significant number of top-level travel agents and tourism professionals specializing in family vacations and quality tourism in the Mediterranean. A total of 70 tourism professionals participated, from the high-income cities of Glasgow and Southampton, such as: Barrhead, TUI, Not Just Travel, Travel Planet Scotland, Kandala Travel etc.