Camping and rental rooms and apartments, this year even more Greek and foreign tourists “vote” in Northern Greece, according to the reservations so far.

With their competitive cost per night – despite the 10% to 15% increase due to the international climate – camping and seaside rentals ensure a longer holiday, unlike hotel prices.

According to the presidents of the Panhellenic Camping and Camping Association of Halkidiki, Antonis Deledimitriou, and the Federation of Tourist Accommodation Entrepreneurs “O Aristotelis”, Triantafyllos Papaioannou, the latest data show that until the beginning of September 2023, occupancy already exceeds 85% and it is not excluded to achieve the coveted…sold out, if of course the weather conditions allow it in the autumn months.

Speaking about the visitors to the country’s campsites, Mr. Deledimitriou announced that these in Peloponnese and islands they “work” mainly with foreignerswhile in Pieria, Halkidiki and the rest of Northern Greece, more than 65% are Greeks followed by the Balkans, mainly Bulgarians, Romanians and Serbs and Europeans, namely Germans, Austrians, English and Irish.

A total of 28 campsites operate in the prefecture of Halkidiki, of which 24 are located on the second “leg”, in Sithonia, while their number exceeds 300 nationwide.

However, the great scourge for the country’s campsites is still free camping that creates environmental problems and “hurts” municipalities and professionals. “Finally something must be done about this issue and definitive solutions must be given,” he says categorically.

A… breath from the levels of 2019 camping

Constantly high in the preferences of tourists, the country’s campsites are again from 2021, in which visitors “hit red” in 2019, when 3.1 million people nationwide chose them for their holidays, according to the president of Panhellenia Camping Union and head of Halkidiki campsites, Antonis Deledimitriou.

Provided that the weather conditions will not adversely affect the operation of the campsites during the autumn months of September and October 2023, then it is not excluded that the sector will approach the levels of 2019 “a year that was and is a landmark year for the country’s campsites”, he emphasized himself, expressing his optimism for this year’s season “since the samples we receive are extremely encouraging”, he emphasized.

He reminded that in 2022 there was an increase in overnight stays in the country’s campsites compared to 2021, while in relation to 2019 “the gap that remains to be filled ranges from 10%-15%”, he pointed out.

Toward a new record of overnight stays this year in rentals

It is almost…impossible for anyone to find this season, and specifically until September 4, 2023, a room and apartment for rent in Halkidiki and Eastern Thessaloniki at an affordable price – from 66 euros/night in August -, with occupancy rates reaching 90% -95%, while in the very expensive accommodations, – from 250 euros/night -, the occupancy rates are between 60% and 70%, according to the president of the Panhellenic Federation of Tourist Accommodation Entrepreneurs “The Aristoteles”, Triantafyllos Papaioannou.

2019 was one of the best years for the room and apartment rental business, but 2022 “is a benchmark year, having achieved an increase of up to 15% compared to three years ago, and this year, we will do even better”, pointed out Mr. Papaioannou, characteristically saying that “occupancies of more than 85% in the month of June, we have seen since 2017”. In this context, he added that if September goes smoothly in terms of weather “then we will definitely achieve a new record of overnight stays and turnover this year”, he emphasized.

One of the characteristics of the current season, according to him, is the increase in the percentage of the Romanian market that “votes” for Halkidiki and Eastern Thessaloniki and now reaches 80%, compared to the once strong Serbian market, which now stands at 30% with 35%. In the meantime, the absence of Russian and Ukrainian tourists, especially the former, “created space for the return of Italian and German-speaking visitors to the region, who now make up 10% to 12% of the total,” he pointed out. Among other things, he mentioned that the prices in more than 3,200 accommodations in Halkidiki (2,100 in Sithonia and Kassandra), are recorded this year increased by 10% to 15%.