Halkidiki Expects More Dutch Tourists in Summer 2017

More Dutch tourists are expected to visit Halkidiki this summer, as early bookings from the Netherlands to the Northern Greece destination have already posted a double-digit increase, according to data released by the Halkidiki Tourism Organization (HTO), following its participation in the Vakantiebeurs tourism exhibition in Utrecht.

“The first messages from meetings with tour operator representatives are very positive and an increase of pre-bookings has been recorded compared to last year”, the HTO said in an announcement.

The manager of Thomas Cook Netherlands, Ronald van Bruchen, informed that early bookings to Greece for this year are already recording a 20 percent increase, compared to 2016.

Also, representatives of TUI Holland and SUNDIO announced that they have added more airline seats to Greece on Transavia’s direct connection to Thessaloniki for the 2017 season.

“The impressions and comments of Dutch travellers that visited Halkidiki last year were very positive”, HTO said.

In 2016, although the arrivals of Dutch tourists to Greece generally recorded a drop of some 20 percent, Halkidiki welcomed almost the same amount of visitors it did a year before (some 15,000 visitors).

At the Vakantiebeurs exhibition, HTO carried out a special promotion for its new tourism product “Aristotle – The 5th Element”. The new product was launched on the occasion of the years 2016 and 2017 being declared as “Aristotle Anniversary Years” by UNESCO, marking 2400 years after the great philosopher’s birth.

HTO also noted that this year it noticed an increased interest of Dutch tourists choosing to holiday in Halkidiki with motorhomes in camp sites.

The Vakantiebeurs fair took place January 11-15 and is designed to bring together those in the industry as well as showcase for visitors everything related to travel.