Changes in the profile of tourists visiting Western Crete

Significant changes in the profile of tourists who visited Crete this summer, through Chania airport, are recorded by the first data of the Tourism Observatory survey concerning the period up to mid-August.

According to the survey data, apart from the significant increase in traffic at Chania airport, compared to 2020, by 345%, it is observed that the mix of nationalities is changing, since only three out of ten foreign visitors are Scandinavians, while the same percentage, as before, is shown by the Germans as a whole, occupying the second place, respectively, out of the total arrivals.

The Poles, whose presence began to be felt in 2017, are now a significant segment of visitors, followed by French and visitors from the United Kingdom in fourth and fifth place. Especially for the tourists from the United Kingdom, the increase recorded in the arrivals of August, is able to bring them to the top of the arrivals at the end of the season. Noteworthy is the very low percentage of Norwegians and Finns this year, for the second consecutive year, falling behind the last places on total arrivals, while last year, before the coronavirus era, they always held the first places.

According to the survey, six out of ten foreign tourists are up to 34 years old, an increase of this young age group, while the age categories over 55 show a significant decrease for another year. Also, the research records an increased percentage of foreign tourists who visit Western Crete for the first time.

Differences are found both in the areas and in the type of accommodation where the foreign tourists stay. More specifically, there is a decrease in hotel accommodation in the areas of Agia Marina and Platanias, while on the contrary there is a very large increase in...