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Tourism Ministry Invites Northern Europeans to Spend Winter in Greece

As part of ongoing efforts to extend the tourist season, the Greek Tourism Ministry is appealing to Northern Europeans, mainly pensioners, to come spend the winter in Greece where the weather is mild.

Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias is currently touring Northern European countries, where he is presenting the advantages of spending winter in Greece. After Berlin and Vienna, he will visit Paris and Stockholm.

“Greece has a pleasant, mild winter which lasts a few days and therefore has much smaller energy needs, while winter in Northern Europe lasts for six, seven and eight months with very low temperatures and enormous energy needs,” he told the Greek press on Tuesday, adding that pensioners from Northern European countries can spend their winter in Greece much more economically thanks to lower prices for food, coffee, transport, and at the same time enjoy Greece at its very best.

Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias.

Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias.

In this direction, he said Lufthansa has expressed interest in increasing its flights to Greece in 2023 by 30 percent, while Austrian Airlines flies from Vienna to Thessaloniki and Athens in under two hours, so do Greek carriers AEGEAN and SKY express.

“All of these airlines see an opportunity for the industry, for the people of tourism, for our economy, but also for our Northern European partners” he said.

At the same time, Kikilias said he was in agreement with Greek hotel and business owners to keep their facilities open in the coming months to meet the demand.

According to the minister, the goal is to extend the tourist season, a ministry and government priority, which will in turn benefit local economies, small and medium-sized businesses and Greek families.

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  1. D. Neary Reply

    We would love to spend some time in Greece in the winter in addition to summer visits but from the end of October there are virtually no direct flights to the smaller islands in Greece from the UK and rooms and smaller hotels do not stay open in the winter. Yes, you can get a flight to Athens and Salonika for example but to visit some of the smaller islands you need to take an internal Greek flight which as we found this year are expensive( or a ferry of course) This has been the situation for many years and I can`t see it changing anytime soon despite the Greek Tourism Ministry wanting to extend the season.

  2. L Morrison Reply

    You went in peak season. Nonetheless, Greece is cheaper for eating out, all drinks, fruit & veg, taxis, entrance to museums, public transport, beauty services, small to medium hotels, to name but a few things you may need.

  3. Diana giannouli Reply

    As a starting points direct flights to some of the main islands would be nice. Pressure on airport operators to reduce winter fees would encourage airlines who have soare capacity in the off season months.

    Many tourism enterprises have been saying this for years, but apparently there is no one who can actually do anything about it, the islands are ready and waiting and have the infrastructure, but it’s pointless the government pushing a winter season when some of the most popular areas are more expensive and more inconvenient to visit in winter.

  4. Robert Ramanis Reply

    I agree wholeheartedly. I am a pensioner and would love to spend Winter in Greece. Damned Brexit was a dreadful event. I am yet to see ANY benefit from it, only bad things!

  5. John David Reply

    It is extraordinary that the Tourism Industry in Greece is failing to engage with the growing demand by independent tourists for Short Term Rental facilities such as Airbnb, which can bring additional business to the country all year round. The traditional hotel industry still has a role, but should now accept that the marketplace is rapidly evolving. The old-fashioned High Street Travel Agencies who tried to ignore the development of Online Holidays are now closed or in terminal decline, and if Hotels wish to survive and prosper they will have to rethink their position and learn to deal with reality. Traditional ‘Package Deal’ holidays began in the late 1950s but their relevance is now rapidly fading, and the Greek Tourism Ministry has to change its dated outlook.

  6. Wolfgang Brack Reply

    Where are the direct flights to Crete or Rhodos from Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, Munich? One flight per week would be enough to start a “winter season” for Crete or Rhodos.
    Without a direct flight, nobody will come to the islands. Especially not the seniors, they are all courted now by the politicians.
    For example, Aegean Airlines has to say, what they need to fly, and the balance which is not sold, the Greek government has to pay to guarantee a stable flight plan from November till April.
    I just speak for the German market, but for the others it is the same.
    If Greece will start a competitive product to the Turkish winter tourism, they have to subsidize the flights at the beginning.
    Otherwise, it is just public relations. Like in the past!

  7. R Ferguson Reply

    Sorry our experience in July was not of a cheap Greece in Crete we spent £2500 in three weeks.

    • Carl+Simpson Reply

      I read your other posts it’s expensive for most things here they need to address the price of fuel here as it’s made everything expensive but it’s how they choose to collect the taxes the Greeks don’t like paying sadly. Bit saying that I can’t blame them as their salary’s are so low.

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