In nine “tribes” visitors to Thessaloniki are divided, according to an annual survey of the Thessaloniki Hoteliers’ Association on the profile and degree of satisfaction of tourists as well as on the performance of the city’s hotels, with the contribution of “GBR Consulting”, which was presented today, in an interview Press. From the survey, which was carried out by distributing approximately 1200 questionnaires to tourists, in the period October-December 2022 and January 2023, nine different profiles for visitors to the city emerged:

1. The “relaxed” they are a large group of tourists, one in three, who do not have specific interests and want to experience Thessaloniki at a leisurely pace, without “stuffing” their schedule. In general, “relaxers” do not visit museums, concerts, festivals and other events. Just one in five visited the Archaeological Museum, Hagia Sophia, the Roman market and the Rotunda. “Relaxers” are usually aged 26–45, travel mostly with their partner or friends, and their spending is generally low. Relaxers rated public cleanliness and road conditions higher than other profiles, with scores of 6.0 and 6.2 respectively. Overall from the city, the “relaxed” appear satisfied, since they give it an overall “grade” of 8/10. The majority of them have visited Thessaloniki more than once and 81% feel that there are other things to see in the city. 99% of the “relaxed” would recommend Thessaloniki to others and 97% say they would visit it again. Their average daily expenditure is 83 euros.

2. The “archaeophiles” they are visitors of all ages and choose Thessaloniki for its archaeological interest and its personality, while at the same time they are interested in its gastronomy. With an overall satisfaction score of 8.1/10 the “archaeophiles” rated their experience in the city above average. Almost everyone would like to go back and explore things they didn’t get to see on this trip, and almost all would recommend it to friends and family. One in four took an organized walking tour. “Archaeophiles” are among the travelers with the highest daily expenses (€97).

3. The “artists”. About one in three participated in an organized architecture or street art tour. Beyond the city’s museums, in terms of events, art lovers are interested in the Film Festival, which emphasizes independent cinema and up-and-coming creators from around the world, but also in the Biennale of Modern Art, which aims to promote the European art scene. One in three art lovers attended a cultural event and/or a theater performance. 94% of them feel that there are other things they want to see in Thessaloniki and about 27% consider that their experience was much better than their expectations. On average, this category of tourists spends 93 euros per day in the city.

4. The “active” they belong to the age group of 26-45 years, travel mainly with their partner or with friends and spend around 109 euros per day. The majority of them take a bus tour and one in three participates in a walking tour and/or culinary tour. One in five visits the sights via a bicycle tour. Also, active people are second only to art lovers in participating in a street art and architecture tour. The active ones visit the White Tower, the Ancient Market, the churches of Agia Sophia and Agios Dimitrios, the Rotunda and the Monastery of Vlatadon. Also, the majority of them visited the Archaeological and Byzantine museums, while one in three visited the Jewish museum, the Museum of the Macedonian struggle and the Olympic Museum. Active people also attend cultural events or participate in a workshop.

5. The “night creatures”, who mainly belong to the 18–35 age group, choose Thessaloniki for its entertainment – ​​nightlife and personality. They also show a particular interest in the culinary proposals that Thessaloniki offers, as well as its attractive shopping center. One in three participated in an organized bus tour and/or a walking tour. With a score of 9.1/10 they are very satisfied with the bar-café facilities and 8.4 with the price / quality ratio. Their evaluation is also high in the entertainment options with a score of 9.0. However, the overall score for their experience in Thessaloniki is 8. One in two night owls stated that their experience in Thessaloniki was better than their expectations, while their average daily expenditure in the city is 96 euros.

6. Different nationalities have lived in Thessaloniki for long periods, which over time were assimilated by the city and at the same time influenced it with their own elements. The “ancestral” they are a group of travelers who are searching for their genealogical roots and wish to learn more about their family history. Most “parents” are from Israel and are aged 36–55. The majority of Israelis visit not only the Jewish Museum, but also the Archaeological Museum, the White Tower and the Rotunda. Four out of ten take part in an organized bus tour. They visit the city either in organized groups (often through affordable packages) or individually mainly to look for traces of their ancestry. Also, some of them visit Thessaloniki with an investment mood. They buy old homes that they convert into short-term rental homes. Some hotels in Thessaloniki have a kosher restaurant, which is exclusively for Jews. 66% of the “parents” visited Thessaloniki for the first time. Almost everyone would recommend the city to their environment. Their rating for the facilities of restaurants and bars & cafes is 8.8, while for the price / quality ratio 8.1. The overall score for their experience in Thessaloniki is 8.2 and their average daily expenditure at 91 euros.

7. The “foodies”. One in two gourmets visits Thessaloniki for the first time. Their daily expenses are in second place among all profiles (98 euros) and they have the most money for purchases in the city. Foodies are mainly aged 26 – 35 and travel with their partner or friends. The most important reasons for choosing Thessaloniki are the entertainment – nightlife, its culinary interest and its personality, especially after the international certification received by Thessaloniki with its inclusion in the World Network of Creative Gastronomic Cities of UNESCO..

8. The “anthropocentric” is a special category of visitors and refers to Greeks living inside or outside Greece and to foreigners traveling to Thessaloniki to visit friends and relatives. All ages are represented, but the 26-45 age group stands out. About one in three travels with his/her partner and/or with his/her children and their average daily expenditure amounts to 80 euros. These are repeat visitors to Thessaloniki. The anthropocentric do not need organized tours as they find their guides among their friends/relatives who will show them around the city. Their overall experience rating is just 7.9 points and is mainly shaped by low ratings for roads and pavements, public cleanliness and MMM.

9. The “professionals” they travel to attend or participate in a conference or an exhibition or to meet suppliers, (potential) business partners or to visit a branch located in Thessaloniki. In this type of tourism (MICE- Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), Thessaloniki was among the top 50 International Conference Cities for 2021, based on the official rankings for 2021 published by the International Congress & Convention Association (ICCA ). Professionals are aged 36–55 and know Thessaloniki well, having visited it more than once. Business travelers may extend their stay a bit to do some further sightseeing. Most travel alone, followed by professionals who travel with colleagues. One in four business travelers is accompanied by friends and/or their children, while their average daily expenditure in the city is low (77 euros)._