Italy, France, Croatia, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Canada Applaud Greece’s Remarkable Winter Tourism Revival As Lesser-Known Regions Deliver Near-Perfect Scores In Culture, Cuisine, And Hospitality, Redefining Europe’s Off-Season Travel Landscape

Saturday, July 5, 2025

Italy, France, Croatia, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Canada and more witness Greece’s winter travel triumph as the country outperforms much of Europe in off-season tourism satisfaction. While traditional hotspots like Athens held strong, it was lesser-known regions such as Thessaly, North Aegean, and Western Macedonia that surprised visitors with exceptional cultural, culinary, and hospitality experiences. With review scores soaring above the European average and a rising sentiment index despite seasonal challenges, Greece has firmly established itself as a top winter destination—drawing praise from tourists across North America and Europe for its authentic charm, outstanding service, and value for money.

Greece Shines in Winter Travel Ratings with Strong Cultural, Culinary, and Hospitality Appeal Across Its Regions

Tourism Satisfaction in Greece Surpasses European Average Amid Growing Focus on Culture, Gastronomy, and Authentic Experiences

Greece, along with Athens and its wider regions, has emerged as a top-performing winter destination in Europe, thanks to a winning blend of cultural richness, gastronomy, and warm hospitality. Visitor ratings for Greece during the off-peak season (October 2024 to March 2025) significantly outpaced the European average, as reflected on travel platforms, digital reviews, and social media discussions.

Thessaly Leads as Greece’s Highest-Rated Region for Visitor Experience

Among all 13 Greek regions, Thessaly stood out with the highest experience rating, showcasing the country’s strong potential for spreading tourism more evenly across its lesser-explored areas. This indicates that travelers are increasingly drawn to authentic, off-the-beaten-path locations. Visitors from the United States and the United Kingdom gave Greece the most impressive scores—9.5 and 9.3 out of 10, respectively. Close behind were tourists from Germany, France, and Italy, rating their experiences at 8.8 and 8.9, indicating wide European appreciation.

Greece Ranks 4th in European Net Sentiment, Ahead of Spain

Greece recorded a strong Net Sentiment Index (NSI) of 59 during the winter period, placing it fourth in Europe behind Croatia (72), Portugal (61), and Italy (61). Spain came in last among the major southern European destinations with a score of 47. The NSI gauges how travelers perceive and discuss their experiences online.

The sentiment score for Greece climbed from 44 in October to an impressive 71 in December, before slightly declining to 56 in February due to temporary disruptions. However, it recovered swiftly to 67 in March. In contrast, Athens exhibited greater fluctuation. Its NSI fell to 38 in November, then plunged to 26 in February, primarily because of natural disasters and demonstrations. The index rebounded strongly in March, reaching 73.

Culture, Food, and Hospitality Drive Positive Conversations

Online discussions about Greece during the winter were dominated by cultural topics, followed closely by food and hospitality. Although culture generated the highest number of mentions, it was gastronomy and hospitality that received the most positive sentiment, each with an NSI of 89. These ratings demonstrate that visitors value the welcoming nature of locals and the country’s culinary excellence.

The sustainability theme also gained momentum, with an NSI of 76. This was likely driven by stories such as Tilos’ waste management success, environmental awards, and international collaborations for marine protection. Nonetheless, sustainability remains a category with a mix of both praise and criticism.

Highlights in Online Praise and Concern

Numerous positive narratives emerged during the season, such as culinary walking tours in Athens, the Truffle Festival in Kalambaka, hikes through the nature trails of Andros, and accolades for traditional destinations like Xanthi’s Old Town. Moreover, partnerships with France and Canada to rehabilitate dolphins in the Aegean Sea further enhanced Greece’s environmental image.

On the downside, online negativity was linked to events such as the earthquakes in Santorini, floods in Paros and Mykonos, and alarming discoveries of marine waste during underwater surveys at Calypso Deep.

Greece Outperforms European Average in Travel Review Scores

Greece received an average satisfaction score of 9.2 across all travel review platforms, exceeding the European average of 8.9. Despite a seasonal drop in the number of reviews after October, satisfaction levels remained consistently high throughout the country. Athens, in particular, maintained an average of 9.2, reinforcing its position as a reliable year-round destination.

Top-Rated Experiences: Culture, Coastlines, and Cuisine

Cultural activities were the top-rated experiences nationally, scoring 9.4. Seaside activities and local cuisine followed with scores of 9.2 and 9.1, respectively. Thessaly led all regions with a 9.5 score, excelling across all experience categories. The Peloponnese scored 9.3 overall and a notable 9.5 for both cultural and seaside experiences. Western Macedonia also stood out with 9.4, particularly for its culinary offerings.

Attica and the Ionian Islands both scored 9.2, showing balanced performance across all categories. North Aegean earned top recognition for its food (9.6), despite having fewer reviews. Epirus and Western Macedonia both impressed with staff and service, earning 9.8 and 9.7 respectively for hospitality.

Value for Money and Regional Variation in Experience Quality

Greece scored 9.2 for value for money, demonstrating high visitor appreciation for the cost-to-quality ratio of experiences. Most regions hovered near this national score, though Eastern Macedonia and Thrace fell slightly below at 8.6.

Sustainability and Hygiene Ratings Show Diverse Results

While Greece earned a decent overall sustainability score of 8.6, disparities existed across the regions. The Peloponnese led with a perfect 10, followed by Attica at 9.0. Lower scores were seen in regions such as the Cyclades (7.1), Eastern Macedonia (7.5), and Central Greece (7.5).

Italy, France, Croatia, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Canada and more are taking notice as Greece’s winter tourism reputation soars, driven by high traveler satisfaction in emerging regions like Thessaly and North Aegean.

For hygiene, the Peloponnese and Ionian Islands garnered the highest number of mentions, both rated at 7.2. However, results varied widely across other regions, indicating room for improvement in cleanliness standards.

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