ETC: Greece Among Top 10 European Destinations for Fall and Winter 2024/2025 Travel

 Greece is among the top 10 European destinations that travelers plan to visit between October 2024 and March 2025, according to the latest report from the European Travel Commission (ETC).

Greece in top 10 of preferred countries for vacation

The report positions Greece in 6th place among the preferences of European travelers for intra-European travel. Topping the list are Spain and France, each chosen by 7 percent of respondents, followed closely by Italy at 6 percent, Germany at 4.8 percent, and Austria at 4.7 percent in 5th place. Greece is chosen by 4.5 percent of respondents. Croatia ranks 7th with 4.1 percent, while the top 10 is rounded out by the United Kingdom (3.9 percent), Portugal (3.8 percent), and Belgium (3.4 percent).

more:news.gtp.gr

ABTA Reports Greece as a Steady Holiday Choice for Brits in 2025

 

Greece remains Britain’s fifth most popular holiday destination for summer 2025, securing an 11 percent market share, according to the 2024-25 Holiday Habits report of ABTA – The Travel Association.

Released during ABTA’s 2024 Travel Convention at Costa Navarino in Greece, the report is based on a survey of 2,000 UK adults conducted from July 24 to August 2, 2024, by The Nursery Research and Planning. It examines travelers’ habits over the past year and their plans for the upcoming one.

In the last 12 months, Greece again ranked fifth among Britons’ preferred holiday destinations, with a 13 percent share, following Spain (31 percent), France (22 percent), Italy (17 percent), and the United States (15 percent).

more:news.gtp.gr

World Tourism Organization: Anogia among the 55 best villages in the world for 2024

Awarded as an excellent destination in the field of Rural Tourism

The World Tourism Organization of the UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has included Anogia in the 55 Best Villages of the World for 2024, awarding it as an Outstanding Destination in the field of Rural Tourism, giving them credit for everything that the village and the Municipal Authority have committed to in terms of innovation and sustainability in the broad field of society, economy and environment.

More than 260 nominations from more than 60 UN member states were put under the microscope of the experts, whose judgement highlighted Anogia, Crete, among the 55 villages, as a tourist destination that meets the requirements for the future of tourism in small communities. “The ‘Best Tourism Villages’ initiative, which is part of the United Nations’ Tourism Development Programme for Rural Development, not only recognizes the remarkable achievements of these villages, such as Anogia, but also highlights the power of tourism and how it can influence the healthy development of areas such as small villages,” noted Anogia Mayor Socrates Kefalogiannis.

more:protothema.gr

Easter in Greece: 6 destinations for your travel list (photos)

 Destinations that have their own identity and are governed by a cultural and aesthetic richness capable of satisfying every mood

With March 25th behind us, the next, springtime travel destination for most people mainly concerns the week of Easter. For this destination, which serves the need for contact with nature, a change of scenery, and refuge in tranquility, away from the intense rhythms of large urban centers, there are suitable destinations for us.

Places full of such experiences that will offer you a fruitful and rich Easter experience and will relax you. Places not prohibitive in terms of distance from the capital or other major urban centers.

Responding to this need, travel.gr has compiled a list of destinations synonymous with strolls, relaxed mood, and contact with nature in a mountainous or seaside version. Places that have their own identity and are governed by a cultural and aesthetic richness capable of satisfying every taste as you savor the early joys of religious devotion.

Rethymno

Rethymno, the third largest city in Crete, is a multifaceted, vibrant organism that combines liveliness and a rich past, with its streets narrating a life of centuries and overlapping civilizations. 

The Old Town of Rethymno, with the Venetian Fortress of Fortezza, dominates and invites you to discover the local version of the Cretan soul, while the impression it leaves on the visitor is intense also by the Holy Monastery of Arkadi, with its thousand-year history and its glorious contribution to the cause of national integration. Since you’re in Rethymno, it’s an opportunity for a flavorful introduction to the wine wealth of the region. 

The particular climatic atmosphere shaped by the presence of Psiloritis creates a temperature difference between day and night, which helps the grapes to ripen at a slower pace, developing a rich aromatic profile and a distinctive quality imprint.

And, of course, Rethymno offers you the opportunity for swimming in some of the most stunning beaches, which combine azure waters, dense vegetation, and white or golden sand, such as Preveli, Souda, Ammoudi, and Ammoudi.

read more:themanews

Crete Once Again Promises Authentic Tourism Experiences – Video

 

The Region of Crete once again is inviting travelers to experience the authenticity the island offers its visitors through its tourism campaign running on social media.

Under the slogan “Crete, Sense the Authentic,”  the ongoing campaign aims to promote the authentic experiences the island offers, especially in the summer, highlighting all the elements that make Crete a unique destination.

“Crete opens its heart and is ready for another year to welcome and host millions of visitors from abroad in a unique and authentic way,” said the island’s regional governor, Stavros Arnaoutakis, in an announcement.

“The Region of Crete, with clear and realistic goals, continues to implement its successful and often awarded tourism promotion campaign.”

The region’s tourism campaign was launched for the first time in 2020 aiming to promote Crete’s rich experiences that cover all seasons and included in all tourism forms.

For 2024, the campaign includes a video produced by Indigo View and directed by award-winning Cretan director Thodoris Papadoulakis.

In the video, tourists and foreigners who have moved to the island share their experiences of being enchanted by the beauty of nature, with Crete’s long sandy beaches and picturesque mountains serving as the backdrop.

“Crete is like a continent on an island,” says one traveler while another adds that “it’s the best place we found in Europe, and we never want to leave this island.”

source:gtp

March Special: The Ultimate Greece Carnival Guide 2024

Discover Greece as never before by deep diving into its most exhilarating national festivity, the Carnival, with our 2024 guide. This year, mark your calendar for March 17th as the key date of the thrilling Greek Carnival, or “Apokries,” unfolds, beckoning the adventurous soul to experience a side of Greece widely unseen by the casual visitor. This isn’t your average holiday getaway, it’s an invitation to those looking to explore the authentic essence of Greek culture beyond the tourist paths.

Apokries is a time of Dionysian festivities (pertaining to the ancient Greek god Dionysus, symbolising indulgence in wine and uninhibited revelry). It also marks the period before the solemn 40 days of Lent in the Greek Orthodox tradition, which for the devout, involves not eating meat. Meat in Greek is ‘kreas’, thus the Greek word for Carnival, ‘apokries’ meaning ‘abstaining from meat’.

While they may not mirror the extravagant size and bombastic popularity of Rio’s world famous Carnival, the Greek versions we present here each offer their own brand of rich ambience, unique traditions and thrilling revelry, with reenactments of pagan traditions, spirited dances and satirical jests that capture the essence of special communal gatherings, stories kept alive through the ages and free-flowign fun.

So don your mask and dance into a world where myths and contemporary magic merge in a stunning display.

read more travel.gr

Crete is a Unique Tourism Destination for Germans, Says Ambassador

 Crete is a favorite Greek destination for German travelers, according to German Ambassador to Greece Andreas Kindl.

In a recent meeting on Crete with the island’s regional governor, Stavros Arnaoutakis, Kindl expressed his admiration for Greece and discussed further promoting Crete as a holiday destination to Germans.

He specifically referred to last year’s arrivals of German travelers to Crete which showed their high preference for the island.

“Over 1 million German travelers visited Crete in 2023,” the German ambassador said, adding that many retirees from his country have chosen Crete as their permanent residence.

According to Kindl, the main reasons behind that choice are the island’s landscape, Cretan products, gastronomy, and excellent weather conditions.

Also present at the meeting was the new Honorary Consul of Germany in Heraklion, Dr. Georgios Kaloutsakis, who highlighted that many younger Germans are interested in moving to Crete to live and work.

On his part, Regional Governor Stavros Arnaoutakis referred to the new projects taking place on the island.

“Major projects are currently underway on the island, such as the new airport and the motorway BOAK, which will significantly upgrade the tourism infrastructure and services for the ever-increasing number of visitors to the island,” Arnaoutakis said.

The regional governor closed the meeting, referring to the good cooperation and “long-standing friendly and business relations that have been established between Crete and Germany”.

gtp