As part of the programme of action to see through the goal of the lengthening of the tourist season in Greece, the Greek Tourist Organisation organised a survey using the Company QED Market Research, at 13 of the key entry/departure points into the Country.
The survey took place between 12-24th October 2016 and used a sample of 2,179 tourists departing after their holidays. Personal interviews were held at 10 airports and 3 land borders. The ratio of men to women was 52:48 and included ages between 20 and 60.
The questionnaire was available in five languages: English, German, Italian, French and Russian.
The conclusions of the survey re as follows:
Satisfaction:
9 out of 10 tourists scored their experience in Greece with either very good or excellent.
4 out of 10 gave an exclusive rating of excellent
36% of flying tourists and 31% of road travelling tourists said that Greece had exceeded their expectations
6 out of 10 said they were very likely to recommend Greece as a destination
Over half, (54% by air and 56% by road) said they would most likely return
7 out of 10 air travellers and 5 out 0f 10 road travellers said that they would share the experiences from their visit with others
Their stay
The average length of stay by tourists travelling by air was 8.2 days and for drivers, less than 3 days. In fact 47% of road travellers stated that they were on a day trip for shopping, food etc
5 out of 10 air passengers visiting Greece stated that they prefered 4 star and over hotels whilst those who drive here prefered more economical accommodation.
Reasons for choosing Greece
Mild weather, good prices, and less people are amongst the main reasons for a visit to Greece in the autumn as opposed to other competitor destinations.
6 out of 10 air passengers named the combination of sun and sea along with Greek cuisine as the basic attractions of Greece
5 out of 10 visitors referred to the hospitality, the natural beauty and the feeling of being able to fully relax that Greece exudes.
5 out of 10 drivers referred to the shopping and dining out
9 out of 10 air passengers and 6 out of 10 road passengers, said they visited Greece in October purely for pleasure whereas 4 out of 10 road passengers, visited for business
Greece and the Competition
4 out of 10 air passengers stated that as an alternative, they had considered Spain, but they finally prefered Greece for the better weather and more economical prices.
The importance of “Last Minute” bookings
37% of air travellers started their search for an autumn break approximately one month in advance. With road travellers, the length of forward planning was even shorter.
Room for improvement
The cultural background of Greece is always part of the reason people choose Greece for a holiday however, there is room to improve the volume and experience of people visiting archaeological sites and museums
Effort should also be made in terms of infrastructure, for example, roads, service and facilities and cleanliness.