INSETE Study Reveals Markets to Drive Greek Tourism in 2020

Germany, Israel, Cyprus, Balkan countries, Romania and Poland may potentially be among the key markets to source Greek tourism in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis, according to a SETE Intelligence (INSETE) study released this week.

More specifically, according to the research department of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), these countries together with some Arab nations appear to have the best performance in terms of coronavirus management and have placed Greece in the top 10 destinations of choice for the summer ahead.

The study, presented by INSETE last week during a webinar organized jointly with Deloitte Greece titled “Greek Tourism in the Covid-19 Era”, examines 25 source markets which accounted in 2019 for more than 87 percent of all incoming tourism-related revenue.

According to a map based on epidemiological data/performance the 10 most important markets based on travel receipts for Greece were (based on data until May 7) Germany, UK, US, France, Italy, Netherlands and Switzerland – all in the red category in terms of Covid-19 management; Romania and Austria in the orange category; and Cyprus in the green category having managed to effectively flatten the curve.

INSETE analysts hope the insight can serve as a useful tool for tourism businesses and stakeholders to plan their post-Covid-19 marketing strategies.

Deloitte Greece also presented scenarios for the hospitality sector for 2020 and 2021.

As Greece eases restrictions and begins to open up to domestic tourism on June 15 and international travel on July 1, it is expected to release a list countries from which arrivals by air will be allowed.

INSETE analysts note that Greece can potentially tap into markets that would pre-coronavirus have turned to other rival destinations such as Italy and Spain.

The study also found Greece to be among the top 5 destinations of choice for most outbound tourism markets in Europe – among these Cyprus, Romania, Poland, Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, Northern Macedonia and Italy, and in the top 10 for Germany, UK, France, Netherlands, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Belgium, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Israel.

Photo © GTP

Meanwhile, Greece is looking to Germany – traditionally one of its leading markets – to soften the coronavirus blow as the country has managed to keep the spread of Covid-19 contained. At the same time, tour operator giant TUI has already included Greece in its top outbound travel products.

Indicatively, in 2019 the German market accounted for over 4 million or 13 percent of all arrivals to Greece, and 17 percent or nearly 3 billion euros in travel receipts.

Meanwhile, in efforts to get people traveling, international tour operators are offering discounts of up to 25 percent on August trips to Greece.