Survey: Tourism in Crete during 2016

Α Decrease font Enlarge font
Survey: Tourism in Crete during 2016The first signs for Cretan tourism this year are positive

The first signs for Cretan tourism this year are positive, according to the survey carried out by the Western Crete Tourism Observatory  in coordination with the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania, the University of Crete and the Chania Hoteliers Association.

The survey was conducted at the airport of Chania (Daskalogiannis) until the end of June, based on 1500 questionnaires translated into 7 languages.

Between January-June 2016, 369,000 arrivals were revorded, a significant increase of 8.4% compared to the respective prior-year period. All major nationalities participated in this increase except Danes, who reduced their arrivals by 4%, as seen in the table below:

Arrivals Chania 2016

 

This upward trend is mainly due to the strong presence of low-cost airline, "Ryanair" that flies in almost 30% of total passengers.It is also noteworthy that nine out of ten passengers originate from non-Nordic countries, thus changing the mix of tourists who choose the airport as final destination

 Heraklion Airport

At Heraklion airport, where 65% of arrivals consists of German, British, French and Russians, there is also a significant increase in total foreign arrivals by 11% with Russians leading by 42%. This is considered very encouraging, if one takes into account the large drop that was recorded during the last two years at Heraklion airport with subsequent losses to the local economy, especially since  Russian tourists have a relatively high income profile.

Arrivals Heraklion

During the first half of 2016, Crete scored a 10.3% rise in arrivals of foreign tourists, which is higher than the average increase nationwide, according to the latest figures of the Tourism Confederation (SETE) of 4.9%. An Important role in shaping this small rate of increase, was played by the immigration/refugee crisis that affected negatively the arrivals of foreign tourists in the islands of the Eastern Aegean islands of Lesvos and notably, Samos and Kos, where there have been large declines in 63%, 39% and 18%, respectively.

 

AirBnb

The 43.846 cruise passenger arrivals at the port of Souda Bay that represent an 80% increase compared to last year's H1 are also encouraging. 

Cruise ship arrivals at Heraklion port also rose by 34% during the first half of the year 2016, compared with the corresponding period last year, reaching 98.675 passengers.

Tourists who prefer Hania airport as a destination for their holidays, are aged between 25-64 years, have a high educational level and average income above EUR 60,000. Six out of ten tourists have visited again Western Crete, while nine out of ten foreign tourists declare not only that we will revisit the destination, but will also strongly recommend it to relatives and friends. When asked to characterize Western Crete as a holiday destination, most answered that it is a family destination for relaxing, enjoying the beaches/sea, in a very friendly and warm environment, shaped by Cretan hospitality and their relationship with the local residents.

The vast majority lives in the surrounding areas of Agia Marina, Platanias of Chania averaging between 8-9 days, depending on nationality, and seek to upgrade their class hotel class.

Two out of three vacation as a family with or without children. Families without children differ in terms of their stay, since a large proportion prefers rooms/studios and spend more than average, per person. Instead, families, even though they appear with big incomes, prefer all inclusive hotels and as a result spend less. About 9% of foreign tourists used AirBnB to book hotel accommodation, many more than last year, while for properties located in areas of Kissamos, Paleochora and within the municipality of Chania, there seem to be even more bookings from tourists through AirBnB.

Regarding their transportation, foreign tourists mainly use rental cars with an average use of 8 days, more compared to last season, while they express great satisfaction in using buses and taxis for their tours.

mmm

Most popular destinations for foreign tourists this year are archaeological sites, museums and monasteries, surpassing for the first time Elafonisi after 5 years of domination. Tourists also tend to prefer Balos beach than Falasarna.

Foreign visitors feel extremely satisfied from accommodation, catering and the behavior of the locals. They continue to feel troubled about the cleanliness of the beaches, the road network and signs. The final degree of dissatisfaction will be recorded upon completion of the survey at the end of the season.

sites

Regarding the purchase of local agricultural products, wine, orange juice, olive oil and local cheeses continue this year to be favored by foreign tourists. Culinary tourism, agro-tourism and cultural tourism, such as visits to museums, churches and archaeological sites are the predominant alternative forms of tourism that are chosen more by guests of Central and Northern Europe, while maritime tourism seems to have high impact on Nordic tourists.

Apart from the costs of airfare and accommodation, eight out of ten tourists spend most of their budgets in restaurants cafes and supermarkets, and a very small percentage on nightlife.  

The survey will be continued in Samaria National Park and the Ancient City of Aptera and the results will be published by the end of the season.

Authoring and analysis group:

Dr. George Mpaourakis (Director of MAICH)

George Aggelakis (Researcher MAICH)

Prof. Constantin Zopounidis (Technical University of Crete – Audencia Nantes School of Management)

Periklis Drakos (E.D.I.P. University of Crete)

Assist. Prof. George Atsalakis (Technical University Of Crete)

RELATED TOPICS: GreeceGreek tourism newsTourism in GreeceGreek islandsHotels in GreeceTravel to GreeceGreek destinations Greek travel marketGreek tourism statisticsGreek tourism report

 

 

related articles

Tornos
  1. 24/06 21:09

    351,000 more international arrivals at Greek airports in the 5th month

  2. 24/06 16:14

    Direct flight connection Chengdu - Athens begins

  3. 24/06 14:21

    Strategic alliance of the Greek and Spanish business worlds in Tourism

  4. 24/06 12:06

    Greece consistently tops the list of choices for Cypriot travelers

  5. 24/06 11:35

    TUI acquires a share of Turkey's Bentour expert | Strategic alliance with Greek interest

  6. 24/06 11:27

    Athens International Airport wins double distinction at ACI EUROPE Awards

  7. 24/06 11:24

    AEGEAN | “Best Regional Airline in Europe” for the 14th year

  8. 24/06 10:30

    Wyndham | New 5-Star Resort in Alanya, Turkey

  9. 24/06 08:34

    Karpathos: Penetration into the Italian Market

  10. 24/06 00:43

    Skiathos returns to the London Underground

  11. 23/06 18:26

    Greek tourism receipts reach 2.16 billion in the first four months

  12. 23/06 18:02

    Greek tourism receipts reach 2.16 billion in the first four months

  13. 23/06 13:52

    Anna Karamanli | Strategic development centered on “Unseen Greece”

  14. 23/06 13:05

    Barcelona: Capital of overtourism – and tourismophobia

  15. 23/06 12:31

    GNTO chief meets local authorities of Argosaronic islands on tourism promotion issues

  16. 23/06 10:36

    Passenger traffic up 6.4% in 5 months, +8.2% at HCAA airports

  17. 23/06 08:40

    Chinese Weddings in Chios: Four Couples Say “Yes” on the Island of Mastic

  18. 23/06 08:00

    Hotel Booking Trends for 2025

  19. 23/06 07:46

    Aegina welcomes the 1st Aegina Jazz Festival

  20. 23/06 07:32

    Cruise Destinations: The New Accessibility Challenge

  21. 21/06 14:18

    Journalistic trip from Istanbul to Rhodes

  22. 21/06 13:56

    Summer 2025 | Beneath the Acropolis: “Six Women in Greek Tragedy”

  23. 21/06 13:09

    Tourism 2025 2 in 3 Britons are planning holidays abroad

  24. 20/06 08:31

    Emirates Country Manager at Tornos News | Greece, a strategic hub for development

  25. 19/06 11:08

    Emirates unveils new A350 aircraft at Paris Air Show 2025

  26. 19/06 08:12

    Trikala Thessaly: Gastronomic excursions for lovers of tradition

  27. 19/06 07:52

    Unexpected support for Athens hotels from “trapped” Israeli tourists

  28. 19/06 07:27

    Five Senses Consulting Launches “Cruise Vibe Coding”

  29. 19/06 07:17

    Miaoulia 2025: Hydra honors the admiral of history with culture and flame

  30. 19/06 07:07

    Rhodes: Losses of 110,000 Israeli tourists if the crisis continues

  31. 19/06 02:06

    The filming of the German TV series “Temptation Island 2025” in Rethymno

  32. 18/06 20:44

    The Region of Crete supports the Pierra Creta 2026

  33. 18/06 17:48

    The restoration of the Municipal Market of Chania is in the final stretch

  34. 18/06 14:56

    Konsola's proposals to address the housing problem on the islands

  35. 18/06 14:51

    Ryanair: New agreement with DerbySoft

  36. 18/06 13:59

    Samos and its gastronomy are introduced to the Romanian public

  37. 18/06 13:41

    UN Tourism and Slow Food Alliance to Promote Gastronomic Tourism

  38. 18/06 12:31

    United Kingdom | Protests lead to surge in last-minute bookings

  39. 18/06 12:02

    Tour operators from the Netherlands in Pieria

  40. 18/06 11:23

    Digital Guide to the Nisyros Geopark

  41. 18/06 11:20

    Lesvos Treasures: Lesvos gets its own interactive tourism experience

  42. 18/06 11:09

    Paros: Shifting towards high-income tourism

  43. 18/06 08:27

    The Peloponnese Region strengthens alternative forms of tourism

  44. 17/06 19:45

    The "1000 Miglia Experience" is coming to Greece for the first time

  45. 17/06 18:28

    New era for Patmos Aktis, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, after €20 million investment

  46. 17/06 15:54

    Commissioner A. Tzitzikostas at the International Paris Air Show

  47. 17/06 15:38

    Germany | Overtourism influences 1 in 4 people in their choice of destination

  48. 17/06 14:58

    Broad meeting to accelerate seaplanes - Approval for Donoussa & Oinousses

  49. 17/06 14:05

    Rhodes Street Food Festival: Rhodes celebrates the "Tastes of the Street"

  50. 17/06 14:02

    Today, the first direct LOT flight from Warsaw to Thessaloniki

  51. 17/06 11:09

    Wine tourism as a catalyst for the repositioning of Santorini

  52. 17/06 08:17

    Petra – Ayvalik: Coastal ferry connection between Lesvos and opposite coast starts on June 18

  53. 17/06 08:12

    Destination Management and Promotion Organization in Sami, Kefalonia

  54. 17/06 07:22

    Athens-Charlotte flights launched – USA among top markets for “El. Venizelos”

  55. 16/06 20:34

    Helmos Mountain Festival | Kalavryta ski resort as an art and entertainment theme park

  56. 16/06 20:25

    Helmos Mountain Festival | Kalavryta Ski Resort, a Theme Park of Art and Entertainment

  57. 16/06 17:37

    The Kalamata-Crete air connection will boost tourism in the two regions

  58. 16/06 15:30

    Ol. Kefalogianni on Israel: So far, there are no cancellations – “We are resilient to crises”

  59. 16/06 13:53

    Promotion of Greek wine tourism in Germany

  60. 16/06 13:20

    Repatriation flights for stranded Israelis in 72 hours

  61. 16/06 12:57

    FedHATTA/ HATTA: Meeting with the Minister of Culture for a unified direction in cultural tourism

  62. 16/06 11:59

    65-page tribute to Rhodes in the online magazine of the University of Naples

  63. 16/06 11:08

    Fraport Greece: Which airports "passed the mark" in May

  64. 16/06 11:03

    New Dolce by Wyndham hotel in Sicily

  65. 16/06 07:25

    14 reasons why Crete is irresistible, according to Condé Nast Traveller

  66. 16/06 06:41

    Cruise Tourism in the Mediterranean Is Changing - And We’re Here to Lead the Way

  67. 15/06 08:22

    Region of the Aegean | Extraordinary campaign with TUI to promote Santorini

  68. 15/06 06:25

    Ververoda Easy Trail Run 2025 and Porto Heli Night Run 2025 in Porto Heli

  69. 14/06 13:19

    The cruise ship Norwegian Viva is in the port of Volos

  70. 14/06 07:30

    “Kefalonian Tratarisma”: Second Gastronomic and Wine Festival in Argostoli

  71. 14/06 07:28

    The new Head of Direct Sales and Customer Loyalty at alltours

  72. 14/06 07:07

    McKinsey: Europeans’ summer vacation sentiment is up - the US market is sluggish

  73. 13/06 19:59

    Strengthening Greek-Polish tourism diplomacy

  74. 13/06 19:02

    Athens Airport and Gulf Air celebrated the company’s 75th anniversary together

  75. 13/06 15:05

    Ministerial Meeting with CLIA: Focus on Sustainable Cruise Development in Greece

  76. 13/06 14:16

    All marine areas of the Heraklion Regional Unit are suitable for swimming

  77. 13/06 12:21

    Rodos Park: Summer events program starting on June 19

  78. 13/06 11:54

    ABTA | Outbound tourism from Britain to grow by 20% by 2030

  79. 13/06 11:24

    The “Mountain School” begins in the Municipality of Sfakia

  80. 13/06 08:28

    Heraklion hosts the first Tourism Law Conference

  81. 13/06 07:32

    easyJet: New connections to Corfu and Rhodes from Newcastle in 2026

  82. 13/06 07:13

    The Cyclades on travmagazine.be: A paradise of experiences in the Aegean

  83. 13/06 06:19

    National Geographic’s Ode to Authentic Greek Cuisine

  84. 13/06 06:16

    New cycle of excavations at the Homeric School in Ithaca

  85. 12/06 04:55

    TUI: Cyprus and Greece are the "hot" destinations for Swedes this summer

  86. 12/06 04:55

    The Olive Tree of Peace: From Ancient Olympia to Brussels

  87. 12/06 04:52

    8th Lykourgos Logothetis Trophy: Sports, Culture and Tourism Development in Samos

  88. 12/06 04:50

    Air Haifa: When does the new seasonal connection to Rhodes start

  89. 12/06 04:38

    Greece in the top 10 most accessible countries in Europe for digital nomads

  90. 12/06 04:35

    Rethymno: On the front lines for the protection of the Loggerhead Sea Turtle

  91. 11/06 21:31

    Fokion Karavias | India, a great opportunity for Greek tourism

  92. 11/06 16:34

    Taste of Loutraki 2025: Corinth at the forefront of culinary tourism

  93. 11/06 15:42

    Digital promotion of Pieria as a tourist destination

  94. 11/06 15:38

    The Region of Crete at the “London Wine Fair 2025” exhibition

  95. 11/06 14:49

    Wyndham Hotels: Partnership with Pegasus Airlines for new loyalty program

  96. 11/06 14:47

    EOT at ITB China 2025 - Promotional actions in the Chinese market

  97. 11/06 11:54

    Vamos! Flamenco Camp 2025 | Art and cultural workshop in Vamos, Apokoronas

  98. 11/06 11:25

    Where will the French travel this year | Greece remains at the top

  99. 11/06 08:58

    Why Americans prefer extended-stay hotels

  100. 11/06 08:07

    Cultural actions in Technopolis by the Ministry of Culture, Region, and Municipality