Greece ranks among the top 10 countries that attract the most interest from travelers in long-haul markets, with Europe—and specifically the Mediterranean—remaining the most popular destination for visitors from outside the Old Continent.
According to the European Travel Commission’s (ETC) Long-Haul Travel Barometer 2/2026, Greece ranks 10th in the relevant ranking, with a 12% share of travelers’ preferences from seven long-haul markets: Australia, Canada, the U.S., Brazil, China, Japan, and South Korea.
This performance is marginally better than last year, when Greece had garnered 11% of travelers’ preferences in the corresponding summer survey. The country had recorded the same percentage (11%) in the previous ETC survey, which covered trips planned through the spring.
This slight increase is particularly significant, given that these are high-income travelers who spend large amounts of money during their vacations.
France tops the list of preferred destinations for travelers from distant markets with a 39% share, followed by Italy at 29%, with Germany rounding out the top three at 25%.
The other countries that rank ahead of Greece are:
- Spain with a 21% share
- the United Kingdom with a 22% share
- Switzerland with a 19% share
- Portugal with an 18% share
- Norway with a 13% share
- The Netherlands with a 13% share
And while traditionally popular European destinations continue to dominate travelers’ preferences, interest in less crowded destinations is gradually growing. Central and Eastern Europe are seeing significant year-over-year growth, with increased interest in countries such as Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, and Bulgaria.
This trend indicates that, since cost is a key selection criterion, more travelers are turning to alternative destinations that offer good value for money and unique experiences.
Europe at the Center
Overall, Europe remains the top choice for travelers from long-haul markets, despite the fact that the intention to take long-distance trips has weakened compared to last year. More specifically, according to the study’s findings, the intention to take long-haul trips has declined by five percentage points year-over-year, to 52%.
This region has also seen a decline, albeit to a lesser extent, as the intention to visit the region has fallen by three percentage points to 36%. Southern and Mediterranean Europe attract the highest level of interest among European regions, with 73% of travelers planning to visit the Old Continent expressing a preference for these specific destinations.
Western Europe follows at 49%, followed by Northern Europe at 48%, with Central and Eastern Europe gaining ground at 16% and 13%, respectively, representing increases of three and five percentage points.
Of course, travelers’ intentions to visit Europe vary by market. Sixty-three percent of respondents from China said they plan to travel to Europe this summer, with Brazil following at 47%. Canada remains relatively stable at 40%, while Japan shows a slight improvement, reaching 14%.
In contrast, demand from the United States and South Korea continues to decline. Only 28% of respondents in those two markets said they intend to travel to Europe, marking the third consecutive year of decline. Last year, the corresponding figure for Americans had risen to 33%, a decrease of 7 percentage points, and for South Koreans to 30%.
Australia also recorded a significant decline of seven percentage points, with travel intentions standing at 33%.
The Challenges
Despite the positive outlook, cost remains the most significant barrier for those who do not choose to travel to Europe, with nearly 40% reporting that the expenses for such a trip are prohibitive. However, this percentage is down by nine percentage points compared to last year.
As for the geopolitical situation, only 15% cite geopolitical factors—such as tensions in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine—as the reason for their decision not to travel to Europe.
In fact, in markets such as Australia, Japan, and South Korea—where air connections to Europe have been most affected by developments in the Middle East—concerns about higher airfares or longer travel times remain limited.
In any case, safety is the most important criterion when choosing a European destination, as cited by 44% of travelers.
In terms of travel behavior, visitors continue to plan vacations lasting one to two weeks, though there is growing interest in keeping daily expenses under control.
According to the findings, leisure remains the primary purpose for those planning a trip to Europe, accounting for 71% of trips. Most travelers plan to stay for one to two weeks (60%) and spend 100–200 euros per person per day (36%).
In terms of spending, food and drink remain the category where the largest portion of money is spent (67%), while planned spending on shopping (40%) and lodging (27%) is decreasing. In contrast, interest in wellness services is on the rise, reaching 20%—an increase of two percentage points.
Finally, regarding transportation, although low-cost flights remain the most popular choice for international travel (47%), interest in multi-leg train tickets (42%) and point-to-point train tickets (40%) is growing significantly.
Good rail connections between destinations now influence travel choices for 23% of visitors, marking a three-point increase compared to last year—a trend that may be linked to rising airfares.