Aussie travellers eager to visit Greece now more than ever

It may come as no surprise but it’s a country Aussies are keener than ever to visit with bookings to its capital city up a massive 369.5 per cent.

If there is one country Aussies are keen to visit – it’s Greece.

While it may come as no surprise given how stunning and picturesque the country is, Aussies are keener now more than ever to head over to the Mediterranean hotspot, according to new research from Webjet.

The online travel company revealed bookings to Athens have gone up a whopping 369.5 per cent with the Greek capital the third most searched international destination for travel between June 1 and August 1 this year, a huge climb from placing 9th in 2022.

It also came fourth as the most popular destination booked by 18-25-year-olds during those same months.

Aussie are more eager than ever to head to Greece, according to new research.

Hashtags ‘greekislands’ and ‘santorini’ had 2 million views in Australia since January.

Meanwhile, Greece is dominating TikTok travel bucket lists, with #greekislands and #santorini racking up a combined total of 12 million views in Australia in the last four months.

“Greece seems to cast a unique spell over Aussies during the European summer season,”

David Galt, CEO Webjet OTA, told news.com.au.

“Over Easter, Aussies were choosing to jet off closer to home with Bali, Auckland and Christchurch nabbing the top international travel spots in 2023.

Aerial view of popular Monastiraki square with the church of Pantanassa and the city view with the Acropolis site and Parthenon on the hill.

“But now, with the promise of glistening blue waters and sunshine, Greece has jumped right into the top three most searched international destinations for EU summer.”

While Greece has always been a popular destination for Aussies during this season, scoring the ninth most searched international destination in the same period last year, Webjet has seen bookings boom by a big 369.5 per cent compared to 2022.

“There are likely a number of factors at play including the rise of travelling for pleasure rather than post-Covid VRF (visiting relatives and friends) travel,” Mr Galt said.

“But anyone who finds themselves on TikTok would be hard-pressed to miss the millions of views racking up on videos associated with Greek travel, particularly around islands such as Santorini.”

Nothing beats the beautiful, traditional white and blue alleys of Mykonos.

The destination is also proving particularly popular with a younger audience, with Athens being the fourth most booked international destination for the EU summer this year among 18 to 25-year-olds.

“It’s no surprise when you look at the itineraries full of culture, beaches, and outstanding views being shown across TikTok,” Mr Galt told news.com.au.

“If you’re interested in exploring for yourself, it’s not too late to book, with prices for the season starting at $1130 return from Sydney to Athens in July (prices found on April 17, 2023 for travel departing between June 2023 and August 2023).

“Webjet’s Price Calendar Tool is an excellent way for savvy travellers to seek out a quick snapshot of the best flight prices available for their holiday destination.”