According to a study by INSETE on Greece's attractiveness as a travel destination from long-haul markets, particularly Australia, Greece ranks highly among travelers and is in 3rd place compared to other competitive Mediterranean destinations (Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Croatia, and Turkey).
INSETE’s latest report, "Brand Greece: How Attractive is Greece as a Tourist Destination – A Comparison with Competing Mediterranean Destinations," focuses on long-haul markets in its second part, specifically examining four key countries for inbound tourism: the United States, China, India, and Australia.
The research, which forms the basis for the study, was conducted by GWI in two phases in 2024, with corresponding phases in 2023. The study evaluates travelers' preferences regarding potential destinations in the next 12 months, covering the critical summer months for Greek tourism. The first part of the study focused on European markets, including Germany, France, the UK, and Spain.
Greece’s Ranking: In terms of travel preferences for the next 12 months, Greece ranks as follows for each market:
- 10th place for Australia
- 13th place for the United States
- 32nd place for China
- 36th place for India
Compared to 2023, Greece has fallen by 7 positions in the Chinese market and 11 places in the Indian market but has climbed one spot in the U.S. market.
Notably, the preference gap between Greece and the countries ranking just one or two spots ahead is minimal. For the U.S. market, the difference is only one percentage point. In both China and India, the countries ahead of Greece by 9 or 10 places have just a 1 percentage point preference advantage.
Market Breakdown:
United States: The top destinations for American travelers are Mexico, Canada (benefiting from shorter distances and easy road access from neighboring U.S. states), and the Bahamas. Italy is the top European destination in 1st place, while France is 7th, Spain is 9th, and Greece is 13th.
China: Chinese travelers prefer Singapore, Japan, and Thailand, with France as the top European destination in 9th place. Italy ranks 12th, Spain is 23rd, and Greece stands at 32nd.
India: Indian travelers favor Singapore, the United States, and Thailand. Switzerland is the top European destination in 6th place, followed by Italy in 13th, France in 12th, Spain in 22nd, Turkey in 32nd, and Greece in 36th.
Australia: Australian travelers primarily choose Japan, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom (ranking 3rd in Europe). Italy ranks 4th, France 9th, with Greece in 10th and Spain in 13th place.
This study highlights Greece’s strong presence in travelers' minds, especially in the competitive long-haul markets, though there is room for improvement in markets like China and India.
