The demand of Greeks for trips to Greek and international destinations appears to have increased during this year’s Christmas-New Year holidays.

The dominant element recorded in the demand for the 2024/2025 holiday season by the Greek tourist agencies-members of the Associations of tourist agencies from all over Greece represented by the Federation of Hellenic Associations of Travel & Tourism Agencies (FedHATTA), is the interest in large urban centers with festivities and vitality morning and evening, with protagonists Athens and Thessaloniki, but also Rethymnon, Chania, Heraklion, Patras and Kalamata.

In domestic destinations, high demand also gathers Trikala of Corinth, Kalambaka, Ioannina, Kastoria, Delphi, Arachova, with major attractions for young and old are the Christmas themed parks in Trikala (Mill of the Elves), in Drama (Dream Town), at Volos, in Larissa (Euchon Park), Xanthi (Euchoupoli), Kastoria (Magic Limnopolis), Thessaloniki (Asterokosmos), Katerini (Christmas Museum), Heraklion (Christmas Castle) and Aigio (Christmas Park).

The ski resorts in Kalavryta, Arachova, Karpenisi, Kaimaktsalan, Tria-Pete Pigadia, Pertouli, Metsovo, Elati, Trikala Corinthia, Parnassos and Vasilitsa also have their honor.

As for his destinations foreignthe Greeks chose this year to spend the holidays in established European urban destinations for the season with a notable intensity of demand for distant destinations as well as for Egypt.

The Greek tourist agencies register a basic “trunk” of demand for 4-6 day getaways in major European cities such as Vienna, Prague, Barcelona, ​​Paris, London, Berlin, Zurich, Bruges, the Netherlands but also Istanbul and Cappadocia. At the same time, enhanced demand for long-haul destinations, despite the increased cost involved in choosing them, revolves around 7-8 day trips to Bali, Bahamas, New York, Jordan and Dubai.

An increasing trend is also recorded in the cruise, with bookings for this festive season “taking over”, especially in destinations such as the UAE but also more widely.

The prices of organized holidays this year, in Greece and abroad, fluctuate around last year’s levels, registering an increase of 8-10% in each case.

As far as Greek destinations are concerned, the prices for individual trips by I.X. lasting 3-4 days in three, four or five-star accommodation, where accommodation and half board are included, start from 106 euros (Lefkada) and reach 160 euros (Karpenisi), while for organized group trips lasting 4-5 days the cost ( transport, accommodation, half board and guided tours) starts from 299 euros (Epirus, Zagorochoria) and reaches 589 euros (Olympus) and concerns accommodation in four and five star hotels.

Prices for trips to Europe vary by destination, with the cheapest option, in proportion to the days of the package, being Vienna (395 euros) and more expensive London (995 euros), while for long-distance trips New York and the Bahamas are on the upper scale prices (1,095 euros and 1,085 euros respectively).

The president of FedHATTA, Lysandros Tsilidis, said: “It is certain that the Greek travel agency, which acts as a consultant for any trip, having incorporated in its operation the European Decree for the protection of the consumer, performs specific services responsibly, transparently and by accepting his obligations to travelers, so as to avoid any bad behavior of so-called professionals who deal with the area and have nothing to do with the industry”.