INSETE: The reputation of Greece and Athens is durable in view of the peak of the tourist season

The overall reputation of Greece and Athens for the first quarter of the year recorded remarkable resilience, a particularly positive development in view of the peak of the tourist season. The resilience is mainly due to the combination of very positive content for key parameters of the tourist experience (culture, gastronomy, hospitality) and the gradual shrinking of publicity in relation to the pandemic.

This conclusion emerges from relevant data collected on behalf of the Institute of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (INSETE) by TCI Research, in the context of wider cooperation with the Municipality of Athens. The data analyzed by INSETE and concerning Greece, Athens and competing destinations (Italy, Spain, Portugal) reflect the evolution of the image of each destination and the tourist experience in terms of the various components (eg accommodation, catering , sights, etc.).

From the analysis of the data for the period January-March 2022 it seems that the reputation of Athens and Greece in the online conversations was superior to the competitors (Spain, Portugal, Italy), a particularly important element, taking into account the liquidity and uncertainty of the wider environment. due to the course of the pandemic and the rapid geopolitical developments after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
High evaluation in terms of the individual components of the tourist experience
In addition to the generally positive internet image of the country, Greece and Athens receive high evaluation in terms of the various components of the tourist experience from visitors (gastronomy, culture, health prevention, cleanliness, hospitality).
The ratings trends confirmed that the visitors of the first quarter experienced an exceptional and rich tourist experience, in an environment free from the pressure of the season.

The “culture” factor makes the difference

According to the analysis of the data, the factor “culture” makes the difference, as it “leads” positively both the general feeling for the country and the evaluations of the visitors. In particular, the culture together with the positive evaluations of the individual components of the tourist experience reinforce the elements that compose the brand Greece and consolidate it in the international markets. Also, the positive assessment for the brand Greece in the first quarter of the year is particularly important, as during this period a significant number of potential visitors plan their summer vacation, in a context where travel decisions are influenced by general, non-tourist factors and potentially inhibiting mobility in Europe.

The happiest visitors come from the USA

Based on the evaluations of the tourist product for Greece as a whole, Athens, the destinations based on the product Sun – Sea and all other destinations, the following emerges:

– The happiest visitors come from the USA, followed by visitors from Britain and the Netherlands and then from Italy, Germany and France.
– Greece, both as a whole and the individual regions and destinations (Athens, destinations based on the product Sun – Sea, etc.), has a score above the European Average (for the second consecutive quarter). The picture is similar per market, with the exception of the German market for Athens.
Culture and the sea, as part of the experience, receive a higher rating than catering, shopping and sightseeing.
– In terms of health and safety, with the exception of destinations based on the product Sun – Sea, Greece is above the European Average. However, there are big differences between the regions, with the destinations based on the product Sun – Sea having low performance, mainly in the sights.

The corresponding first data of April on the country’s reputation show a significant increase in interest in Athens on social media, as well as an increase in reports of a pandemic with a positive sign due to the lifting of restrictions. On the other hand, the war in Ukraine does not seem to have any influence in Greece. Finally, experience rating indicators are still higher than those of the competition.