Meliá Hotels International (MHI) has observed a consistent upward trend in tourism in Greece, with bookings for 2023 showing a significant increase compared to 2022. Recent data from the group's resorts in Crete and Rhodes revealed a notable surge in pre-bookings from the beginning of the year through March, reaching an increase of up to +200% in certain cases. Overall, bookings for the year escalated by as much as +40%.
According to the group's statistics, Romania, Poland, France, and the Scandinavian countries continued to lead in reservations for Crete and Rhodes.
The data pertains to the activity observed at Meliá Hotels International's accommodations in Rhodes – Sol by Meliá Cosmopolitan Rhodes – and in Crete – Sol Marina Beach Crete – and Hotel Blue Sea Beach Affiliated by Meliá.
Specifically, both Crete and Rhodes were consistently favoured destinations by travellers from Romania. Simultaneously, travellers from Poland expressed notable interest in Rhodes, while France stood out as one of the main markets for Crete.
Booking Landscape Compared to 2022
According to the data from Meliá Hotels International in Rhodes, there was an observed increase in bookings compared to the previous year: +14% from French tourists, +40% from Polish visitors, and a notable +26% from Scandinavian countries. Meanwhile, a decrease in bookings was observed from the German market at -8% and the United Kingdom at -5%. Additionally, the Average Daily Rate (ADR) in Rhodes increased by 9%, although occupancy slightly dropped from 87% to 86%, a change influenced by the wildfires the island faced.
Regarding Crete, bookings from key markets showed an increase compared to 2022: +7% from the United Kingdom, +5% from Germany, +44% from Romania, +8.8% from Poland, and +17% from France. Meanwhile, interest from Scandinavian countries remained consistent compared to the previous year. Furthermore, Crete experienced a +5% increase in ADR, with occupancy rising from 86% to 89%.
Crete and Rhodes seem to maintain their lead in the markets of Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Poland, and Scandinavia throughout 2023. Forecasts have been notably positive since the beginning of the year, with pre-bookings, particularly from Germany, doubling compared to 2022.
