Visa Survey | Beaches, Culture, and Scenic Destinations Draw Tourists to Greece

Beachtimes, culture, and scenic destinations are the main reasons why tourists from the US, UK, and France will choose Greece for their holidays this year, according to a survey conducted by Ipsos on behalf of Visa.

According to the survey:

• 9 out of 10 tourists visiting Greece plan their trips a month in advance.
• Physical cards continue to be the preferred payment method for most activities.

Detailed conclusions of the survey:

Why do they visit Greece

The survey shows that beachtime (69%) is the most important reason for choosing Greece, with even higher rates among British (72%) and French (71%) respondents. Cultural visits follow at 65%, with French travelers showing even greater interest (72%). US visitors are interested in a wider range of activities than the French and British. These include nightlife, theme parks, and music events.

Trip duration and seasonality

Almost half of tourists visiting Greece (48%) take trips of 4-7 days, while a similar percentage stay in the country for more than 8 days. Although the peak period is the “European summer”, the choice of time to visit varies for visitors depending on the country: US tourists will choose to visit Greece in July (21%), the British seem to prefer May (17%) and June (27%), while the French choose to travel mainly in September (20%). At the same time, 5 out of 10 tourists who will visit Greece in 2025 will also visit Italy, while 4 out of 10 will also visit Spain.

Destinations within Greece

Athens and the Greek islands remain the top choices for travelers to our country. For visitors from the US, Attica is the most popular destination (41%), followed by the South Aegean (31%) and Crete (27%). The British show a preference for the Ionian Islands (32%), with the South Aegean and Attica at 27%. Correspondingly, French tourists choose Attica (39%), Crete (35%), and the South Aegean (30%).

Budget

US visitors are expected to spend an average of €3,040 per person on their trips to Greece this year, an amount equivalent to around 13% of their annual income. British tourists, on the other hand, plan to spend €1,900 per person, equivalent to around 11% of their income, while one in four intend to increase this amount compared to the previous year. French tourists plan to spend an average of €2,550 per person, equivalent to 11% of their annual income. Luxury tourism is expected mainly from US visitors.

Payment Methods

Physical cards continue to be the preferred payment method for most activities, across all age groups. However, tourists from the UK and the US are expected to use cash more often for small purchases on public transport, tourist shops, and parking. Despite the growing preference for contactless payments, with 7 in 10 tourists saying they would opt for them, around a third are expected to use more cash during their travels, compared to their usual usage in their country of origin. It is worth noting that almost half of the visitors will use the same payment methods as in their home country. French tourists, in particular, are expected to use cash the least.

Trip Planning

Almost 9 in 10 visitors plan their trip around a month before their arrival. While accommodation booking platforms remain the most popular source of information for travel destinations, accompanied by official hotel, service, and restaurant websites, ChatGPT is emerging as a new source of information for activity planning, with travelers from all three destinations using it. Visitors from the US lead with higher rates, while French travelers appear to use it less.

Eco-tourism

Eco-tourism is more important to Americans than European tourists, who, while appreciating it, do not place it high on their priorities. Notably, 30% of US visitors are willing to pay between 5% and 10% more for their purchases, reservations, or activities are more environmentally friendly. Awareness of sustainability in tourism activities is “very important” to one-third (1/3) of tourists, particularly in restaurants, transportation, and itineraries.

Nikos Petrakis, Visa Country Manager in Greece, said:

“Visa is committed to promoting digital payments, with the aim of improving the visitor experience in Greece. From introducing contactless payments on public transport throughout Athens and thirty other cities to installing automatic ticketing machines at important archaeological sites, we are implementing initiatives that facilitate visitors to Greece and enhance accessibility.

At the same time, we are working with the Ministry of Tourism to support strategic planning based on real data. As the season has already begun, our research with Ipsos aims to help the tourism sector better target visitors and offer personalized experiences. Our ultimate goal is to contribute to the upgrading of Greece’s tourism product and the strengthening of the Greek economy, with tourism as a vital component of growth.”

RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report

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