Enhance long-haul connectivity and deepen motivational diversification are two key opportunities Greece can leverage to gain competitive advantage respect to other Mediterranean destinations. This is the key insight shared by Mabrian, the global travel intelligence platform, during the keynote presented in “Reimagine Tourism in Greece”, a high-level event held in Athens (Greece) this week, organized by Kathimerini and the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE).
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Prime Minister of Greece, is among the speakers that attended this conference, that also gathered key opinion leaders from Greek travel industry, to discuss innovative approaches that help redefining the future of tourism in Greece. Mabiran’s Sales Director, Catalina Taltavull, shared the travel intelligence analysis, that dived deep in Greece’s positioning as Mediterranean destination, comparing challenges and opportunities ahead for the country.
Mabrian’s “Greece Outlook” report broadens the analysis performed in the study on emerging destinations in Greece (released on early September 2024), by considering the performance of specific competitors (Spain, Italy, Croatia, and Turkey) throughout 2024, and how Greek destinations can harness travellers’ trends currently reflecting in choices to Mediterranean destinations.
High-quality, authentic experiences are becoming increasingly important to travellers when selecting a destination, and competition in delivering these experiences is intense in the Mediterranean. Refining tourism products and services, while maintaining quality and authenticity as core principles, is crucial for Greece, to maintain and improve its Mediterranean positioning, already showing good signs with the positive performance of its Global Tourist Perception, as well as climate and security travellers’ perception.
A Long-Term View on Seasonality Management
Mabrian’s data insight unveils the similarities of the structure of the air connectivity networks of Greece and its competitors, mainly, a significant reliance in European key outbound markets, and diverse strategies to push for year-long visits that harness Mediterranean good weather conditions.
“As happens with Greece and the competitive set analysed, summer is naturally a highly seasonal period, so opportunities lie in alternative inbound markets, with a different set of motivations and drivers, and less dependent on summer demand”, explains Carlos Cendra, Partner and Director of Marketing and Communications at Mabrian.
United States inbound market is very promising for Greece as, even though it is still not among the top 10 inbound markets per air capacity, direct connectivity is growing +23% compared to 2023. “Other source markets with great potential for non-seasonal demand are Asia and Middle East, also resonating with Greece’s motivational diversification strategy, reflected in our data”, Cendra indicates.
Increasing arrivals from alternative, long-haul markets, and committing to motivational diversification can contribute to deal more effectively with seasonality and plays a relevant role helping hotel industry to leverage price elasticity in higher categories off-season; as per Mabrian’s travel intelligence.
The report presented also stresses the importance of managing visitors’ perceptions and experience distinguishing carrying capacity and overnight stays, to balance seasonality effects, in particular among travellers’ satisfaction. As Mabrian spokesperson points out “a strategy centered on increasing overnight stays can have a positive impact on busier Greek tourism spots, but also emerging or lesser-known ones, as it can contribute to balance arrivals, enhance economic impact, improve destinations’ perception, and boost locals’ welfare and overall travellers’ experience in destination”.
