The Attica Region at the ITB exhibition as a multidimensional travel destination

With the aim of strengthening the international visibility of Attica and developing strategic partnerships, the Governor of Attica, Nikos Hardalias, was at the international tourism exhibition ITB Berlin 2025, where he visited the Region's pavilion as part of the Greek participation, organized by the Hellenic Tourism Organization (EOT).

"We are at one of the largest international tourism exhibitions, with a clear goal: to highlight Attica as a leading and multidimensional travel destination for the German and international public," said Mr. Hardalias, emphasizing that Germany has long been one of the most important markets for Greek tourism.

"The data shows that more than half of its travelers make two to three trips a year. Our goal is for one of them to have a destination in Attica! A region that is not just the gateway to Greece but a destination with a distinct identity, offering authentic experiences 12 months a year. Our presence here confirms our commitment to extroversion and strengthening the tourism footprint of the Basin. We send a clear message to visitors: Attica is ready to welcome you all. Every corner of it offers unique experiences worth discovering,” he noted.

The Regional Governor referred at length to the special characteristics of Attica's tourism product, which make it famous in the international market: history and culture, insularity, the variation of the natural landscape, the cosmopolitan Athenian Riviera, Mediterranean gastronomy, competitive prices in relation to the quality of the services provided, advantages that, as he underlined, "make Attica an ideal destination for every type of traveler - whether looking for archaeological walks, relaxation and entertainment, or alternative activities in nature".

He also praised the role played by the development organization "New Metropolitan Attica S.A." in the tourism promotion and development of the Region, as he said, "with targeted actions, methodicality and collaborations, it contributes decisively to strengthening the international presence of our Attica and to attracting high-quality visitors, who are looking for authentic experiences and high-level services".

Jet2’s flight seats to Athens are up 129%

As part of the promotion of the Attica Basin as an attractive tourist destination, Mr. Nikos Hardalias met with Janice Mather, Head of Jet2’s Airports and Tourism Organizations Department, and Jacob Bramley, General Manager of the same department, where the strengthening of the tourist flow was discussed.

Jet2.com & Jet2holidays announced that in 2025, it will make over 57,000 flight seats available to Athens, marking an increase of 129% compared to 2022, with 8 weekly flights from Birmingham, Manchester, and Stansted. At the same time, more than 12,000 airline seats are expected to be available for the winter season of 2025 – 2026.

The Jet2CityBreaks program is expanding to the Greek capital with 60 hotels and an average length of stay of 5 nights. At the same time, Jet2holidays has already included the Athenian Riviera in its tourist package with 17 hotels in popular areas such as Glyfada, Mati, Anavyssos, Lagonisi, Nea Makri, Vravrona, and Vouliagmeni. In 2025, the company is also expanding its activity to the islands of the Argosaronic Gulf, adding Poros and Aegina, with 10 selected hotels, while as a next step, it was agreed to develop a two-year program to enhance the visibility of Attica as a top destination for travelers from Great Britain.

International promotion of Attica's tourism product

Hundreds of exhibition visitors and professionals from various tourism sectors gathered at the Attica Region pavilion, where they had the opportunity to experience the unique travel experiences and cooperation opportunities offered by Attica, as an ideal destination all year round, with an emphasis on history, culture, gastronomy, natural beauties and modern tourist infrastructure.

During the exhibition, meetings were held at the Region pavilion with tour operators, journalists, influencers, and tourism professionals, with the aim of strengthening partnerships and attracting more visitors from Germany and other markets to Attica. At the same time, new tourism trends and development strategies for the destination were presented through interactive presentations and promotional material.

ITB Berlin is one of the largest and most important international tourism exhibitions in the world, bringing together thousands of exhibitors and industry professionals from more than 190 countries every year. It is a unique meeting point for networking, developing partnerships, and promoting tourism products on a global level. The exhibition is visited by over 100,000 people annually, while more than 5,600 exhibitors and 1,300 buyers participate.

Attica is high in the preferences of German visitors

Germany is one of the main traditional tourist markets for Attica, as more and more German citizens travel to Attica throughout the year, with an emphasis, among other things, on culture, local gastronomy, nature activities, sustainable tourism development, wellness tourism, and other forms of thematic tourism.

According to official data, the Attica Region has recorded a significant increase in its share of the German market over the last three years, which amounted to 32%, with receipts reaching 322 million euros compared to 244 million in 2022.

In particular, the number of German visitors to Attica as of the end of the third quarter of 2024 amounted to 456,000 compared to 309,000 in the same period in 2019 - when the country's first "explosion" of visitor arrivals occurred - while the number of their overnight stays amounted to 2,731,000 compared to 773,000 for the corresponding period in 2019.

At the same time, travel receipts from Germans in Attica appear to have increased significantly compared to previous years. More specifically, they amounted to 256 million euros by the end of the third quarter of 2024, compared to 228 million euros in 2023 and 138 million euros in 2019 during the same period. The expenditure per visit by Germans to Attica by the end of the third quarter of 2024 amounts to 562 euros, compared to 493 and 446 euros in the corresponding periods of 2023 and 2019.

According to the Foreign Research Survey carried out on behalf of the Attica Region, in Germany, the level of awareness of Attica is 42.4%, while 91.8% of the Germans who visited it stated that they gained positive impressions from the region during their stay.

To the question “Would you like to visit or visit Attica again?” 67.5% responded positively, highlighting as the main reasons the accessibility of the trip (30.7%), the impressive natural landscapes and beaches (18.1%,) and the local cuisine (9.4%). 46.1% of them stated that they plan to visit Attica in the coming years. At the same time, 45.7% of them wish to visit Attica in the summer season, 23.5% in the spring, and 23.5% in the autumn.

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