CONTENTS 1 – THE MARKET

1. Market Snapshot

2. General Market Conditions• Population / Languages• Economics / Politics• Interest in UK University Education• Holidays / Annual Leave• General Emerging Consumer Trends

3. Access Overview• Political, Passport and Visa Issues• Gateways / Access to Britain

4. Market Size, Share, and Forecasts• Current Volume / Value Statistics and Historic Trends for UK• World Regions Visited and Forecasts for Growth• The UK’s Market Share and Forecasts for Growth

5. Market Shape / Dynamics• Purpose of Visit• Length of Stay• Regional Spread / Regional Awareness• Seasonal Spread• Type of Accommodation – Where Do They Stay?• Visiting the UK as part of a multi-cuntry trip

6.Britain’s Brand Image in Greece• Britain as a Tourist Destination Brand – DEPTH, HEART, VITALITY

7. Product / Market Fit• What did overseas visitors actually do during their visit to UK?• Products / Experiences identified as attractive

8. Who is the Greek Visitor to Britain?• Demographics• Travelling Companions and key Travelling Group types• 1st Timers and Repeat Visitors

9. Caring for the Greek Consumer• Language / Information Provision• Accommodation• Food and Drink• Value for Money

10. Reaching Greek Consumers• Deciding, Planning and Booking Patterns for Travel• Online Environment / Internet Access• Media Habits

CONTENTS 2 – THE TRADE / B2B

11. The Trade• Overview of Trade Structure• Reaching the Trade

12. Business Visits and Events• Statistics and Trends

13. VisitBritain in Greece• Working in Partnership with VisitBritain• Overseas Contacts• London Contacts / Further Information• Information Sources Used to Compile this Report

GREECEMarket & Trade ProfileUpdated August 2009

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1) Market Snapshot

Greece

Total Visits 2008 204,000 (up 22%, rank 26th)

Total Spend 2008 £153m (down 5% , rank 25th)

Average Spend per Visit (AEV) 2008 £753 (down 23%, rank 20th)

Average Length of Stay (ALS) 2008 9 nightsMarket Population 2008

10.7 million Outbound Market Size 2008

3.3 millionUK’s Market Share 2008

6.1% (rank 4th)

Top 5 actual competitors

1. Bulgaria

2. Turkey

3. Italy

4. Germany

5. Cyprus

Did you know that in theGreek national anthem thereare 158 verses?

Market shapePurpose of Visit38% Holiday, 30% VFR, 18% Business (2008)

Length of stay4-7 nights has traditionally been the most likely lengthof stay over the last few years, but 1-3 nights just asprevalent in 2008

Quarter of visit61% of all visits took place in Oct-Dec and Jan-Mar in2008. April-June is the least popular time to visit (18%)

87% visited the UK only and 13% stayed in anothercountry as well on their trip (2007)

Internet access4.9 million users in March 200946% population penetration

Who visits

69% aged 25-54 (evenly spread across this

age range) . Business are likely aged 35-44.

47% travelled to the UK alone in 2007.

Holiday visitors are generally travelling as

spousal couples without children.

What motivates them to visit

Museums / galleries were popular with 52%

of Holiday visitors, and 41% of these visited

some built heritage (e.g. castles). Shopping

and pubs were also common activities.

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Greece

For the latest statistics on

visits to the UK go to:

www.visitbritain.org/ips

Population / LanguagesThe US Census Bureau puts the population of Greece at 10.7 million in2008, half of whom live in the Greater Athens region.The country’spopulation is based around two main centres, Athens and Thessaloniki,and then spilt around numerous islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas.

The population is forecast to be stable by 2018, remaining around the10.7 million mark, but will decline slightly to 10.1 million by 2048.

Long-term, the under 60s are forecast to decline, and over 60s grow -even more so for the oldest age groups.

Language: Greek.

Economics / PoliticsDespite being on the periphery of Europe (London is a four-hour flightfrom Athens) Greece has been a member of the EU for a quarter of acentury and plays a full role in the organisation. It was among the firstwave of countries to adopt the Euro as its currency in 2001.

While 2009 has not brought a repeat of the widespread rioting seen atthe end of 2008 there are still sporadic outbreaks of disorder as theeconomy falters and tensions remain high. Greece is highly dependenton tourism which looks set to have a very tough year in 2009 due to boththe global economic downturn and strength of the Euro in relation tocompetitor destinations such as Turkey. Average per capita income (inpurchasing power parity terms) is forecast to be static at around $30,000for the next couple of years

In response to the severe downturn in the global economy, thegovernment has introduced a number of mitigating measures, such asthe creation of new jobs through work experience and trainingprogrammes. There has also been much attention on measures tostabilise the financial system, infuse liquidity into it and reducing the costof credit. The rapid fall in inflation will not be matched by decliningwage increases, so real wages should rise, but not to an extent thatwould create significant inflationary pressure.

Although not due until 2011 the Economist Intelligence Unit anticipatethat an early election will be called during 2010.

Unemployment now stands at around 9% and is forecast to increase to10.5% of the labour force in 2010 according to the InternationalMonetary Fund, with economic stagnation during 2009 and 2010followed by below trend growth through to 2012 – as recently as Maythe Greek government was still expecting economic growth in 2009.

During 2009 Greece was not one of the UK’s top fifty trading partners interms of imports, but was the UK’s 28th most valuable export market.

Exchange RateSince 2001, the rate of Sterling against the Euro has fallen. In January2001, £1 = !1.58, but it has gradually fallen to £1 = !1.16 as of July2009. The cost of the Sterling has decreased 27% since 2001.

Interest in UK University Education

There were 2,387 Greek UCAS applicants in 2008 to study at a Britishuniversity. 69% (1,652) of these were accepted.

Furthermore, they come to the UK for a period of a few years in highereducation and tend to integrate themselves within the Greek communityalready at college or university.

Holidays / Annual LeaveAnnual leave entitlement is 21-29 days.

General Emerging Consumer Trends

Ageing PopulationBritain is currently seen as a destination with strong appeal to youngpeople, particularly young couples travelling without children andgroups of adult friends.

However, Greece is in a similar situation to the rest of Europe with anageing population, which means Britain will need to encourage theGreeks currently visiting to return for repeat visits and also to bring theirfamilies in the future.

2) General Market Conditions

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Greece

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Political SituationNo political issues currently exist to restrict travel to Britain from Greece.

Passport and Visa IssuesGreek visitors do NOT require a visa to visit the UK.

Gateways / Access to BritainIn 2008, 98% of visitors from Greece travelled to the UK by air, 1% by seaand 1% by Tunnel. (IPS)Departure gateways - Athens, ThessalonikiArrival gateways - London Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchesterand Luton

In terms of airline passenger numbers in 2008, London remains the mostpopular destination for international travel followed by Larnaca and Parisaccording to the Athens International Airport official data. Thepassenger numbers towards London show a year on year increase of9.6% from 2007 to 2008. Many “summer only” flights operate (mostlydue to increased demand for inbound travelling) - the followingsummarises year- round scheduled services:

Athens Aegean Airlines fly 3 times per day to Stansted until 24th October 2009.From 25th October 2009, it will fly 2 daily flights to HeathrowBritish Airways fly 4 times per day to Heathroweasyjet operates 7 times per week to Luton easyjet fly 13 times per week to Gatwickeasyjet fly 2 times per week to ManchesterOlympic Airlines fly 3 times per day to HeathrowOlympic Airlines fly 2 days per week (1 flight a day) to Manchester

ThessalonikiBritish Airways operates once a day to Gatwickeasyjet operates 4 times per week to Gatwick

Typical flight times from Greece 3.5 hours. Greece is located GMT +2.

3) Access Overview

LTN – Daily flightsfrom Athens

PIK – Flights from Athenson Mondays and Fridays(additional seasonal flightson Wednesdays). Seasonalflights from Heraklio onSaturdays

LHR – Daily flightsfrom Athens

MAN – Twoflights per weekfrom Athens

Main Gateways ServicingGreece

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STN – Threeflights a dayfrom Athens

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Current Volume and Value Statistics / TrendsThe best ever-recorded year for visits (224,000) from Greece was 2000.In terms of expenditure, 2005 was the best ever-recorded year with£199m spend. In 2008, the visits were 203,657 and the spend was£153m.

Historic Trends (Volume and Value of Travel to the UK)Visits and spend showed growth from 1993-2000, but since then growthhas plateaued.

4) Market Size, Share, and Forecasts for Growth

IPS 2007 2008Change year

on year

Total Visits 166,492 203,657 22%

Visits Rank (League Table No. Visitors to UK)

27 26 up 1 place

Total Spend £162m £153m -5%

Spend Rank (League Table £ Spend in UK)

25 25 no change

Average Spend per Visit(AEV)

£973 £753 -23%

AEV rank14 20 down 6 places

Average Spend per Day(AED)

£147 £88 -41%

AED Rank 2 16 down 14 places

Average Length of Stay (ALS)- nights 6 9 30%

ALS Rank 35 27 up 8 places

Greece

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Greece

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Top Ten Destinations Visited in 2008 (key competitors)Bulgaria is the most frequently visited destination from Greece,accounting for 30% of outbound journeys, followed by Turkey and Italy,which account for 15% and 8.4% respectively. The UK (6.1%) was the4th most visited destination in 2008.

Travel from Greece to Different World RegionsTourism Decision Metrics estimates there were 3.3 million outbound tripsfrom Greece in 2008. There are forecast to be 4.1 million such trips by2014 (a 25% increase).

As is the case for the vast majority of countries, outbound travel fromGreece is dominated by short-haul destinations, with 59% of outboundtravel going to countries in Emerging Europe, with Bulgaria the topdestination.

Western European destinations currently account for 30% of alloutbound trips.

Africa is the next most popular region to visit with 4% of trips in 2008.

Forecast Visits to World Regions 2009-2014The chart below shows forecasts from Tourism Decision Metrics fortravel from Greece to each region of the world over the coming years.The number of forecast visits relative to 2008 are shown.

Outbound travel from Greece is forecast to fall in 2009, with journeys toother Western European destinations seeing the largest absolutedeclines in visitor numbers.

By 2014, visits to Western Europe are forecast to recover to 2008 levels.Visitor numbers to Emerging European destinations are expected togrow to a much greater extent over the coming years.

4) Market Size, Share, and Forecasts for Growth (cont.)

Forecast Top Ten Destinations in 2014According to Tourism Decision Metrics, Germany is expected to overakethe UK as the 4th most visited destination from Greece by 2014.

Visits to the UK are forecast to decline slightly over the coming years,before recovering to 2008 levels by 2014 (representing a decline inmarket share to 4.9% for the UK).

1 Bulgaria 6 Cyprus

2 Turkey 7 Austria

3 Italy 8 Czech Republic

4 Germany 9 Egypt

5 United Kingdom 10 United States

All data is taken from Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economicscompany. The Tourism Decision Metrics (TDM) model forecastsfuture international tourism flows, based on historiceconomic/tourism data and future economic forecasts. It assumesthat there are no barriers to tourism growth (eg no limit toroute/airport capacity, no new visa regulations) and, as a forecast, it isclearly subject to external shocks which may be natural or man-made,so should be taken as a guide only.

The UK’s Market Share and Forecasts for Growth

Purpose of VisitIn 2008, Holiday visits grew and they now represent the highest singleproportion of visits from Greece (38% of all visits), pulling away from VFR(30%) as the key reason to travel. 18% of visitors came for business.

The 2001 UK census finds that there were just over 35,000 UK residentsthat were born in Greece - an increase of 142% on the 1991 census.These are mostly likely to be found in London and South East England.

Length of Stay4-7 nights has traditionally been the most likely length of stay for a Greekvisitor over the last few years, but 1-3 night stays were just as prevalentin 2008. On average, VFR visitors spend more nights in the UK(averaging 13 nights in 2008) than Holiday visitors (6 nights) andBusiness visitors (3 nights).

Regional Spread92% of visitors from Greece stayed in England, 62% in London, 6% inScotland and 3% in Wales in 2008 (IPS). Greek visitors are more likely thanthe ‘average visitor’ from elsewhere to stay in London, suggesting that thereis scope to encourage visitors from Greece to explore more of Britain.

Regional AwarenessIn qualitative research carried out in Greece in 2005, when referring toBritain, all respondents irrespective of age or travelling behaviourreferred to London. No differentiation was made amongst the differentparts of Britain (Wales, Scotland and England).

Online ‘Best Prospects’ research (2005) showed that London is the mostpopular destination within Britain, although Scotland and other areas inEngland have significant recognition and appeal amongst several. BestProspects exhibit least interest in Wales as a tourist destination.

Seasonal Spread

October-December is the peak season for outbound travel from Greeceand Christmas is very appealing for a short-break to the UK.

In recent years, the IPS shows that October-December and January-March have been the most popular period for Greek residents to visit theUK. 61% of all visits occurred during these periods in 2008, driven byHoliday and VFR visits.

April-June was the least popular (only 18% of visitors).

5) Market Shape / Dynamics

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Visitors fromGreece

Visitors fromall countries

TOTAL ENGLAND 92% 91%*LONDON 62% 49%*REST OF ENGLAND 31% 47%ENGLAND'S NORTH COUNTRY 9% 13%CENTRAL ENGLAND 10% 16%SOUTHERN ENGLAND 13% 22%SCOTLAND 6% 8%WALES 3% 4%

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Accommodation Just under four in every ten visits (38%) were staying as free guests withfamily or friends in 2008. This accounted for 52% of all nights spent in UK.

77% of the large VFR market from Greece stayed in such accommodation in 2008.

51% of visitors overall stayed in hotels / guesthouses - accounting for alower proportion of nights (30%) as these are mainly Holiday andBusiness visitors who have shorter lengths of stay than the VFR market.

Visiting the UK as part of a multi-country tripIn 2007, a question was included on the IPS to understand whethervisitors to the UK had stayed a night in another country before or aftercoming to the UK. The results are shown in the table below, with 87%visiting the UK only on this trip.

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5) Market Shape / Dynamics (continued)

Greece % of visitors

Visited UK only 87%

Visited another country before the UK 2%

Visited another country after the UK 7%

Visited another country before & after the UK 4%

Greece

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Perceptions of BritainQualitative research carried out in Greece in 2005 showed that, overall,people felt very positive about Britain as a travel destination.

When respondents think of Britain they think of the iconic features: thearchitecture, the monuments, double-decker buses, pubs, theatres - andthe weather!

Overall, Britain is perceived as traditional and conservative, whilst at thesame time being modern and eccentric.

Greek respondents generally travel internationally once a year, primarilyin winter and especially during Christmas. They are more likely to spendthe summer months in Greece.

The most popular international destinations visited by respondents wereSpain, France, Italy and Britain for their culture.

Britain as a Destination Brand - DEPTH, HEART and VITALITY

Online ‘Best Prospects’ research (2005) showed that attitudinally ‘BestProspects’ place great importance on international travel, and culturalimmersion is strongly acknowledged as a key element of visiting abroad(53% agree strongly).

This reflects the Greeks’ strong affinity with the DEPTH aspect of theBritain brand; they are keen to explore the history, heritage and cultureof the country and also to go beneath the surface and experience thelocal people and traditions.

The HEART aspect of the Britain brand also has strong appeal to theGreeks who rate local people being friendly as a key factor in choosing adestination.

They also consider natural scenic beauty an important factor and areextremely interested in exploring Britain’s parks and countryside.

With many young people travelling from Greece to Britain, the VITALITYaspects of the brand in terms of the nightlife and shopping opportunitiesalso have strong appeal.

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6) Britain’s Brand Image in Greece

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Products / Experiences identified as attractiveCulture / History / Heritage Qualitative research carried out in Greece in 2005 showed that Britain’sUSP is the variety and quality of the culture and tradition. Online ‘BestProspects’ research (2005) showed that 48% of those respondents whohad already made plans to come to Britain (or who were very likely to inthe near future) said they were extremely interested in visiting castles,churches, monuments and historic houses on a trip to Britain. Britain’sarchitecture also came up in the qualitative research as a key attraction.37% would be extremely interested in visiting museums and art galleries.

Cultural activities such as going to the theatre, opera, ballet or concertsare also popular with 33% extremely interested in attending one or moreof these on a trip to Britain.

Landscape / CountrysideBritain’s landscape and countryside is also attractive to Greek visitors, with 34% of Best Prospects extremely interested in visiting parks and gardens and 28% extremely interested in visiting thecountryside. According to the IPS 2007, 31% of VFR visitors wentwalking in the countryside when they came to Britain, presumablygetting out of the cities more than holiday (13%) and business visitors (15%). In terms of gardens, Greeks will not visit specifically to see a garden, but will enjoy them as part of a stately home experience.

Shopping Apart from its cultural elements, Britain offers great shoppingopportunities for Greek visitors, whether it is shopping for traditionalBritish products or fashion, home and antiques.

NightlifeBritain’s nightlife has strong appeal among the Greek Best Prospects with36% extremely interested in experiencing it. However qualitativeresearch carried out in Greece in 2005 shows that there is low awarenessof what is actually on offer in Britain in terms of nightlife.

London London is where most Greeks tend to visit as it is recognised as being acity of fashion, with diverse cultural and historical heritage. Mainelements drawing Greek visitors to London are the architecture, theheritage and its multi-ethnic culture.

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7) Product / Market Fit

What did Greek Visitors actually do during their visit to UK?In the IPS 2006, 2007, and 2008, visitors were asked if they had takenpart in certain activities during their visit to UK. The chart below showsthe percentage of visitors from Greece who said they did each of thelisted activities, compared to the average inbound visitor to UK.

Greeks’ most common activity was eating in restaurants (72%), and asignificant proportion went to the pub (39%).

Shopping was also popular, with 58% shopping for clothes/accessories,and 39% shopping for souvenirs.

24% visited castles, churches, monuments, and historic houses, and 38%went sightseeing famous buildings/monuments. Museums/art gallerieswere quite popular (27%) too.

18% visited parks/gardens, whilst 17% explored towns, villages, andother locations away from where they were staying. 8% went on aguided tour.

15% went to nightclubs and 17% went to see the performing arts (egtheatre).

The following pages show the proportion of Holiday, VFR, and Business

visitors undertaking each activity, to give a more complete understanding

of what each get up to when they visit the UK.

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Greece

7) Product / Market Fit (continued)

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What did Greek Holiday Visitors actually do during their visit to UK?In the IPS 2006, 2007, and 2008, visitors were asked if they had takenpart in certain activities during their visit to UK. The chart below showsthe percentage of Holiday visitors from Greece who said they did each ofthe listed activities, compared to the average inbound Holiday visitor toUK.

Holiday visitors’ most common activity was eating in restaurants (79% didso), and a significant proportion of Greek Holiday visitors went to thepub (43%).

Shopping for clothes/accessories was the second most common activity(undertaken by 76%), whilst 51% shopped for souvenirs.

Looking at traditional tourism activities, museums/galleries were moreoften visited (51%) than castles, churches, monuments or historicbuildings (41%). 51% went sightseeing famous buildings/monuments.

33% visited parks/gardens but just 13% went walking in the countryside.Only 17% explored towns or villages away from where they werestaying, so there is plenty of potential to encourage Greek Holidayvisitors to get out of the city more.

In the evening 20% ended up in a nightclub and 34% went to thetheatre/ballet/opera/concert, further confirmation that city-basedactivities dominate Greeks’ current repertoire.

Greece

7) Product / Market Fit (continued)

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What did Greece VFR Visitors actually do during their visit to UK?In the IPS 2006, 2007, and 2008, visitors were asked if they had takenpart in certain activities during their visit to the UK. The chart belowshows the percentage of VFR visitors from Greece who said they dideach of the listed activities, compared to the average inbound VFR visitorto the UK.

VFR visitors from Greece can often be found eating in restaurants (78%),in the pub (44%), shopping for clothes/accessories (58%), or souvenirs(41%).

Some VFR visitors also undertook traditional tourism activities, with 40%sightseeing famous buildings/monuments, 25% visiting castles,churches, monuments, or historic houses, and 25% went to museums/artgalleries.

Going to nightclubs (18%) and the performing arts (eg theatre) (19%)were more popular pursuits for VFR visitors from Greece than theaverage inbound VFR visitor.

16% visited parks/gardens. 27% explored towns, villages, and otherlocations away from where they were staying.

Greece

7) Product / Market Fit (continued)

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What did Greek Business Visitors actually do during their visit to UK?In the IPS 2006, 2007, and 2008, visitors were asked if they had takenpart in certain activities during their visit to UK. The chart below showsthe percentage of Business visitors from Greece who said they did eachof the listed activities, compared to the average inbound Business visitorto UK.

Almost half of Greek Business visitors enjoyed eating in restaurants (46%)and just over a third went to the pub (34%).

35% went shopping for clothes/accessories and 17% went sightseeingfamous monuments/buildings.

Greece

7) Product / Market Fit (continued)

Demographics

In 2008 69% of visitors from Greece were aged 25-54 with a fairly evendistribution of ages within this age range. VFR visitors were slightly olderthan Holiday visitors. Business visitors are most likely to be aged 35-44.Overall, 57% of visitors are male and 43% female - these have a similarage profile. Business visits are biased towards males (79%), and VFR tofemale (63%).

Travelling CompanionsOnline ‘Best Prospects’ research (2005) showed that travel to Britain waslargely seen as ‘couple’ or adult-centric with the majority of BestProspects intending to travel with spouse or adult friends. 50% of thosewith children would not have them accompany them on a trip to Britain -a common trend in Greece where children are often left with thegrandparents while parents travel.

In the IPS 2008, we asked visitors to tell us more about their travellingcompanions. We asked who accompanied them on their visit, excludingUK residents they may have visited during the trip.

The chart below shows the percentage of visits which included eachcategory of travel companion (multiple responses allowed as thecategories are NOT mutually exclusive). The profile for Greece iscompared to that of the Total World i.e. the average overseas visit to UK.

Visitors from Greece are more likely than the average to be travellingalone, or with adult family members.

CAUTION: The results do need to be treated with some caution, as evenif a respondent says they are travelling with “Spouse/Partner” and“Child(ren) aged 5-11”, we don’t know from this how many childrenwere in the group, or even that the children were those of therespondent (e.g. they could be grandchildren, nieces / nephews, oreven no blood relation at all)...

Key Travelling Group TypesTo overcome the fact that a mix of different travel companions could bein each group, five mutually exclusive “group types” have been created.In Greece, the proportion of visitors in each type are as follows:

Visitors from Greece are most likely to be found travelling alone - justunder half did so in 2008. Holiday visitors are generally travelling ascouples with a spouse / partner or other adults - but not with children.

VisitBritain Key Market SegmentsDINKS / SINKS (25-34 years)This market is interested in city short breaks where London offers specialappeal with its attractions, museums, galleries, theatre and shopping.This group are young professionals and have disposable income tospend and lots of time to do it.

Virtually all travel to Britain from Greece is undertaken independently. Alarge proportion of travel to Britain from Greece is undertakenindependently most often via a travel agent (as opposed to part of apackage tour).

Online ‘Best Prospects’ research carried out in 2005, identified BestProspects from an online panel of Greek respondents as those who hadeither made plans already to come to Britain, or who were very likely tovisit in the near future.

When compared to Non-Best Prospects (those who were unlikely to visitBritain in the future), Best Prospects tended to be younger, 63% underthe age of 34 and also educated to degree level. They were significantlyless likely to have children.

Attitudinally, Best Prospects demonstrate interest in immersingthemselves in local culture and are willing to dedicate a greaterproportion of disposable income to travelling abroad.

Students & VFRAs of January 2009, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office estimatedthat there were 30,000 Greek students in higher education in Britain.

VFR visitors are dependent on Greek students at UK universities. Theytend to be young friends and relatives aged 16-34 and parents who areolder and are aged 45 years +.

As the family unit is extremely important to the Greek way of life and asGreeks are not particularly intrepid travellers, relatives take theopportunity to visit their family at their place of study.

They like to visit places of interest, attractions and cultural icons.

They also tend to stay with their relatives on their visits to the UK.

8) Who is the Greek Visitor?

Male % Female %0 -15 1 3

16-24 13 11

25-34 19 28

35-44 21 10

45-54 28 29

55-64 14 17

65+ 3 2

Traditional Family Of Spouse / Partner & Children 6%

Spouse / Partner But No Children In Travel Group 19%

Children In Group But No Spouse / Partner 4%

Not Alone, But No Children Or Partner In Group 26%

Travelling Alone 46%

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Greece

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Youth ResearchIn December 2008, VisitBritain conducted research into the youthmarket (18-30 year olds) in 9 European countries which included Greece.The aim of the research was to gain a greater depth of understanding ofthe youth market in terms of general travel behaviour habits, attitudestowards Britain and preferred information sources.

General Travel Behaviour habitsCity breaks (87%) are by far the most popular type of holidays for theGreek youths, while touring and adventure holidays (67%), visitingfriends (53%) and the beach (41%) are the next most popular. Althoughthe city break will still be popular in future, Greek youths are expecting totake less of these in favour of the beach holiday. Curiously, there areaspirations to take more cruises.

In terms of the holiday party, the partner is the most often they havetravelled with followed by friends and parents. It is anticipated thattravelling with their partner will increase over time which makes sense asthey move onto their next lifestage.

Hotels are by far the most popular type of accommodation for the Greekyouth, 78% having used them in the last three years. Although it will stillbe the most popular type, it is anticipated that there will be a notablemove away from hotel accommodation in the future towards a mixture ofother types of accommodation such as guesthouses / bed and breakfastsand house/chalet/bungalows/cottage/villa.

Most Greeks have taken holidays lasting 4-7 nights (85%). However, theGreeks tend to favour shorter holidays more than the other countries thatwere researched when travelling abroad.

Motivations for travellingHaving fun, doing something different and having an exciting time arethe main motivations for holidaying abroad for the Greek youths. Thiswas followed by relaxing with friends and learning about another culture.

There were several factors that were considered important thatinfluenced the choice of country; these being the sense of feeling safe,beautiful scenery and value for money. For each of these factors, over athird rated this as essential.

Travelling to and Perceptions of BritainOf all the Greek youths, 54% had previously visited Britain, with 75%of these visiting within the last three years.

The main motivations to travel to Britain are for its famous buildingsand monuments (67%), shopping opportunities (57%), good value ofmoney (53%), museums and art galleries (51%), easy to use transport(51%) and interesting towns and cities (48%). Indeed for previousvisitors to Britain, these were also the main activities undertaken:visiting historic buildings (72%), visiting museums and galleries(70%), using public transport (70%) and shopping (67%).

There is a great deal of knowledge of Britain, 37% of Greek youthsclaimed to know a lot about Britain. However, in terms of consideredvisitation, Britain is relatively low, ranking fifth out of seven othercountries. There appears to be certain barriers to visit and theresearch highlighted these issues.

Compared to countries like France, Italy and Spain, Britain is notconsidered as good value for money, especially on the cost ofholidaying here. Just over a quarter of Greek youths felt thisdiscouraged them from visiting Britain.

There is also a more negative perception of Britain’s countryside andscenic beauty amongst the Greek youth. Part of this reason is thatLondon tends to feature highly in the Greek youths’ top of mind ofplaces to visit in Britain. When asked to think of which Britishdestinations they are likely to visit, 46% of youths mentioned London,whereas only a quarter mentioned places such as Devon andCornwall.

Greek youths do not perceive the British to be as welcoming orfriendly as other nations. The Italians and Spanish were seen tostand out on these softer aspects. However, previous Greek visitorsto Britain do rate the welcoming and friendly aspect a lot higher thannon-visitors.

Information SourcesGreek youths overwhelmingly considered the internet as the mostimportant source used, particularly at the choosing the country andplanning and booking accommodation and transport stages of theholiday planning process.

Friends and family are the next most important source and the role of thetravel trade is considered relatively important at the bookingaccommodation and transport stage.

In terms of their overall usefulness, National Tourist Boards websites aremid-ranked against other websites, generally below tour operators,transport providers, attractions and search engines, but interestinglyahead of review sites/independent advice.

1 in 7 Greek youths have not heard of VisitBritain or visited VisitBritain’swebsite. Whilst awareness is currently relatively low, 71% claim theywould be likely to use the VisitBritain website if considering a trip toBritain in the future.

1st Timers and Repeat VisitorsIn 2004, 86% of visitors from Greece had visited the UK previously withinthe last ten years (IPS).

Important factors for choice of country Essential %

Feeling Safe 36

Value for Money 35

Beautiful Scenery/Countryside 33

Ease of entry 26

Famous buildings 26

Good quality accommodation 26

Easy to use transport system 24

Greece

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Language / Information ProvisionThere are no language barriers to visiting Britain as English is spoken bythe vast majority of the population in Greece.

AccommodationThe Greeks prefer to stay in good quality accommodation but need tofeel that they are getting value for money. Three-star hotels and over arepopular with Greeks, with cleanliness, location, value for money andquality being the most important decision-making factors in choosingaccommodation. Bed and breakfasts are an unknown type ofaccommodation for Greeks as there is no direct equivalent in Greece.Youth travellers prefer to opt for value accommodation (however theirknowledge of youth hostels is limited) again because price is an issue. In ahotel, they expect a clean bedroom with private bathroom and toilet. Theirown hotel bedrooms tend to be functional/basic, clean and good value.

The Greeks will expect good service. Be patient, smile and offerexplanations and a helping hand should a problem arise.

As in many Latin countries, many Greek people are smokers.

Food and DrinkFood is extremely important to the Greeks. Although they are willing tochange their habits during their holidays and the UK is not perceived as a food destination, there are some areas where the Greeks will not make concessions.

Provide them with bread during lunch or dinner, and don’t take it awayuntil the end of the meal.

If they ask for water, provide a carafe (with glasses) without ice andlemon. Their preferred coffee is cold frappe but they are also partial toespresso (short and strong) or filter coffee.

They like to spend time over their meals and their main meal of the day isusually dinner.

Qualitative research carried out in Greece in 2005 showed there werenegative associations with British food, which is perceived to be lackingin variety and quality, so it is important to show the wide variety of foodavailable in Britain.

Value for MoneyGreeks look for good deals but also originality when they are shopping.Advise them on shops or restaurants where they can find specialpromotions or discounts but also unique products. They will generallyconsider this a part of the necessary concierge services offered by anycategory of hotel.

FamilyThe family unit remains the focal point of Greek social life and mainholidays tend to revolve around school holidays and family needs.Anecdotal evidence points to a lack of interest in summer holidays inBritain as Greeks tend to prefer to travel within Greece for their mainsummer holiday.

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Deciding, Planning and Booking PatternsQualitative research carried out in Greece in 2005 shows that whenselecting a holiday the primary factors for Greek visitors are cost /valuefor money and the variety and quality of cultural landmarks.

Although the more sophiscated travellers are happy to plan and booktheir holiday online, the majority prefer to research the holiday onlineand then to book their holiday offline, either directly with theaccommodation suppplier or carrier or via a travel agency who sell localtour operator programs (the well known international tour operators donot exist in Greece, with the notable exception of the local presence ofTUI in the market, handling both inbound and outbound travelling).

Online ‘Best Prospects’ research (2005) showed that 76% of Britain’s BestProspects (25-34 years of age) will research their holiday online and 58%will consult friends and relatives. When gathering information aboutdestinations, word-of-mouth advice from family and friends who havealready visited is key.

Best Prospects prefer to travel independently, rather than on a packageor an escorted tour.

Information SourcesIn March 2009, the European Commission’s research on the attitudes ofEuropeans towards tourism showed that the Greeks consideredrecommendations from friends and colleagues and the Internet as themost important factors when deciding about travel/holiday plans.

Motivations for travellingThe survey also showed that Greeks’ main motivation for their mainholiday trip in 2008 was for rest/recreation (55%) followed by visitingfriends and relatives (16%) and the sun/beach (14%). The Greeks favourrest/recreation much more than the average EU traveller which can beseen in the table below:

In terms of the attractions that have a major influence on the choice ofdestination, the location’s overall environment and its cultural heritageare the main factors considered by the Greeks.

Decision to Travel Lead TimesLate booking characterises the Greek market and therefore mostbookings are made within a month of travel.

Online Environment

ETC New Media Trend Watch www.newmediatrendwatch.com has awealth of further facts and figures on the Online Market in Greece.Some highlights from that and other sources are included here:

According to the Internet World Stats (March 2009),46% of thepopulation in Greece were online (4.9 million users). This has increased393% since 2000.

47% of internet users are between the ages of 16-24 and 27% are 25-54.

Greece has one of the highest mobile penetration rates in Europe. Thewireless mobile penetration level is predicted to increase from theprojected 141% in 2007 to 155% in 2010. In 2010, it is forecasted thatGreece will have the second highest most penetrated market in theworld after Italy (www.reuters.com)

10) Reaching Greek Consumers

% of Visits

Day of/day before departure 2

2 days, less than a week 5

1 week, less than a month 32

1 month, less than 3 months 38

3 months, less than 6 months 14

6 months, less than a year 5

1 year or more 3

Most important information source when making adecision about travel/holiday plans

%

Recommendations from friends and colleagues 34

The Internet 20

Personal experience 18

Travel/tourist agencies 10

Guidebooks and magazines (commercial) 8

Media (newspaper, radio, TV) 5

Catalogues, brochures (non-commercial) 4

EU 27 Average % Greece %

Rest/recreation 37 55

Sun/beach 20 14

VFR 16 16

City trips 7 2

Culture/religion 7 4

Nature 6 3

Sports-related 3 1

Wellness/health treatment 3 3

EU 27 Average % Greece %

The Environment 31 41

Cultural heritage 24 26

Entertainment 15 19

Festivals and other events 5 4

Art 5 4

Gastronomy 7 3

Others 8 2

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Media HabitsOnline Best Prospects research (2005) found that Greek Best Prospectsdid the following at some point on a DAILY basis:

National TV channels represent the most frequently used media, with 75% accessing daily, followed by international (64%) and national(60%) websites. All of this indicates a very outward focussedconsumption pattern.

The Internet provides a major opportunity to reach Best Prospects withthree quarters of Best Prospects accessing international websites at leasttwo to three times per week.

There is medium consumption of satellite channels and low consumptionof cable channels.

Major National MediaDaily newspapers (circulation): Eleutherotypia (240,000), Ethnos (175,000), To Vima (220,000), Express (30,000).Travel magazines: Voyager, Passport, National Geographic, Traveller’s IconsTravel trade publications :Exhibit & Event, Synedrio, Touristiki AgoraTV channels (national, some public and some private): ET1, NET, ET3, MEGA, ANT1, STAR, ALPHA, ALTER, MAD TV, MTVGreece, MAKEDONIAGuide BooksThe most popular guidebooks in Greece are the Lonely Planet Guides,The Rough Guide and the Green Guides often translated into Greek.

Watch national TV channels 75

Access international websites 64

Access national websites 60

Listen to national radio 49

Listen to local radio 47

Watch local TV channels 31

Read national newspaper 22

Watch cable or satellite TV 22

Read local paper 12

Daily %

Watch national TV channels 32

Access international websites 25

Access national websites 12

Listen to local radio 9

Read national newspaper 6

Watch local TV channels 5

Watch cable or satellite TV 3

Most requent Access %

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Reaching Greek Visitors in the UKIn 2008 VisitBritain sponsored a question on the IPS to understand whatproportion of visitors from each country engaged with different forms ofmedia when actually in the UK.

47% of visitors from Greece watched British TV and 37% read Britishnewspapers. 35% used the internet and 25% listened to the radio.

When just looking at Holiday visitors, 44% watched British TV, 37% readBritish newspapers, 30% used the internet, and 26% listened to the radio.

VFR visitors were more likely to engage, with 64% watching British TV,51% using the internet, 37% reading British newspapers, and 33%listening to the radio.

36% of Business visitors read British newspapers, and 34% watchedBritish TV. 28% used the internet and 11% listened to the radio.

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Overview of Trade StructureThe Greek travel trade is made up of a plethora of large to small sizetravel agencies. There are no tour operators in Greece adhering to thestrict profile of a tour operator. Rather, they are large travelagents/wholesalers, who sell their product throguh their own orindependent travel agencies. In addition, associations such as seniorcitizen groups will also organise holidays for their members.

Travel agents and tour operators are used to selling London and less sothe rest of Britain due to the higher cost of the airfare.

Wholesalers exist in Greece mostly as consolidators of room nights.They do not place product directly to the consumer, however, they areinstrumental in placing accommodation product to the travel agencies.They sometimes also consolidate air tickets.

Tour operators normally sell their products through their own orindependent travel agencies.They still do not sell directly to theconsumer through the Internet.

Travel agencies usually sell products produced by a larger travelagency/tour operators or specialise in one market and produce their ownprogramme. In the case of London, however, most travel agents producetheir own packages.

Coach operators are usually owned by a large travel agent and theirproducts (coach tours) are sold at the same time as the rest of theirexcursion programme through their own or independent travel agencies.

Travel AgentsThere are about 4,000 travel agents in Greece, out of which 1,500 aremembers of HATTA (Hellenic Association of Travel Agents). There are27 PCOs in Greece that belong to HAPCO (Hellenic Association ofProfessional Congress Organisers).

There are three types of Greek travel agents:1. General - top national travel agents who produce one or more largebrochures (e.g. Ginis Vacances). Britain as a destination is included inthese. However, they usually feature separate packages for Londonwhich are affordable and separate England/Scotland/Pan UK excursionswhich are quite pricey. Their packages are often sold through someindependent and networked travel agencies but not actively advertised.Clientele: mostly individuals although the larger operators will have agroups department.

2. Specialised - smaller travel agents who are very well known tospecialise in specific destinations or in specific activities (e.g. MonogramTravel). They will also usually feature London in their brochures but arebetter known for exotic travel. They sell directly. Clientele: mostlyindividuals.

3. Agency networks: sell their own products as well as others e.g.Eurostar-Travel Plan, Carlson Wagonlit Travel. Clientele: mostlyindividuals, leisure and business.

Tour operators prepare their spring/summer brochures before Easterand their autumn/winter brochures in August/September.

Reaching the TradeSales CallsTimingJuly and August are quiet months for travel agents. However, thecontacts you wish to see may well be on holiday! Tour operators preparetheir spring/summer brochures before the Orthodox Easter usuallyApril/May and their autumn/winter brochures in September/October.

Public Holidays2009 2010

New Year’s Day 1 Jan 1 JanEpiphany 6 Jan 6 JanOrthodox Shrove Monday 10 Mar 15 MarIndependence Day 25 Mar 25 MarOrthodox Good Friday 17 Apr 2 AprOrthodox Easter Monday 20 Apr 5 Apr Labour Day 1 May 1 MayOrthodox Whit Monday 8 Jun 24 May Assumption Day 15 Aug 15 AugOchi Day 28 Oct 28 OctChristmas Day 25 Dec 25 DecBoxing Day 26 Dec 25 Dec

TransportAllow plenty of time between appointments, especially in Athens.Remember to ask for the nearest Metro station - this will help you tolocate the address more easily and avoid traffic jams.

Transport in Athens: the underground system is very good and easy touse. You can get a daily pass. Taxis are easily found everywhere (averagecost for a ride in the centre of Athens is 5 euros, much higher if you goout to the suburbs). From International Airport El. Venizelos airport, youcan use the Metro which connects with central locations in Athens town,or the Proastiakos - city rail which will drop you off at Neratziotissa stationor continue on towards the city of Corinthe. However, since 14 February2009, the Metro has not be in operation to and from the airport due tothe construction of 3 new stations in between. This is expected to lastfor a period of 6 months.

Etiquette Make an appointment in advance and reconfirm a few days before.Never turn up without an appointment. Be punctual in case your contacthas a tight schedule but be prepared to wait at least 15/30 minutes.

Personal relationships are very important to the Greeks and take time tobuild. Be patient. Give your contact the impression he/she is gettingspecial attention. Make sure you follow up on your visits. Your futurebusiness depends on that as much as on the visit itself. If you are askedfor a quote, send it straight away.

Do not be offended by direct talk (e.g. ‘the food is disgusting’, ‘hotels areoutrageously expensive’...). Just be prepared for it! Likewise, do not betaken aback if (when!) you are constantly interrupted while talking - itmeans you generate interest!

Language/ currencyKey contacts will speak English even if they are not fluent in it and theywill be happy to speak English with you.

It is highly recommended that you have a fact sheet presenting yourproduct in Greek if possible.

Remember to quote your prices either directly in euros or in £ withcurrent euro equivalent.

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Business Visits Statistics(IPS 2008).

18% of travel from Greece to the UK was for business purposes, and thisaccounted for 12% of spend in 2008.

Greek business visits were made up of 36% Conferences, LargeMeetings, Trade Fairs or Exhibitions and 64% individual business travel.

*CAUTION - low sample sizes for types of business visitor mean that AEV/ AED / ALS figures should be seen as indicative only.

Business Visits TrendsThere is very little scope for business meetings from Greece to be held inBritain. However, there is interest in the incentive travel sector. It isimpossible to estimate from IPS the proportion of Business visits that areincentive based.

The three sectors in Greece that organise larger business events arepharmaceutical, banking and insurance. While smaller companies tend toorganise their incentive travel in Europe, the larger pharmaceuticalcompanies have been organising incentive events in exotic destinationssuch as China.

12) Business Visits & Events

Business Visitors Greece Visits 2008 (000) Business Visits (%) Spend 2008 (£m) Business Spend (%)

Trade Fair / Exhibition* 4 11% 3 15%

Conference / Large Meeting* 9 25% 5 27%

Other Business* 24 64% 11 58%

All Business Visits 37 100% 18 100%

Business Visitors Greece AEV (£) AED (£) ALS (nights)

Trade Fair / Exhibition* 697 266 2.6

Conference / Large Meeting* 536 152 3.5

Other Business* 446 179 2.5

All Business Visits 495 179 2.8

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Working in Partnership with VisitBritainThere are many ways of working in partnership with VisitBritain. Inagreement with our strategic partners – VisitScotland, Visit Wales,VisitEngland and Visit London, we operate the Overseas Network as aplatform for the five brands and will continue to deliver the followingactivity in all these markets on behalf of these brands and the travelindustry:

Travel Trade:• Account management of key carriers and major tour operators• Management of a travel trade e-crm programme (quarterly)• Staging of B2B missions and events• Familiarisation visits to major trade shows in Britain

Media Relations:• Account management of key contacts in print, broadcast and onlinemedia• Database of publications and journalists• Media briefs and press releases• Management of a press e-crm programme (bimonthly)• Assisted press visits programme

Provision of Insights and Market Intelligence:• Market profiles• Market insight reports

Public Diplomacy Management:• British Council• FCO

Britain marketing will be delivered as specified:VisitBritain leads on marketing Britain and signposts strategic partnerbrands. There is a strong focus on building the long term value of theBritain brand and educating consumers about the constituent brands.

For more details on these and other diverse opportunities in markets ofinterest to you, please visit our UK Industry Website and read ourworldwide marketing prospectus, or contact your VisitBritainrepresentative in London or overseas.

www.visitbritain.com/ukindustry

Overseas ContactsSofia Astrid PennacchiManager (based in Milan)T: +39 02 88 08 15 38F: +39 02 72 01 00 86E: sofia.pennacchi@visitbritain.org

Athina DouziMarket Representative Greece29 Michalakopoulou St11528AthensT: +30 210 72 40 349F: +30 210 72 40 319E: athina.douzi@visitbritain.org

London Contacts / Further InformationFor any further information relating to the Greek market, please contact:Nikki BuckleyInternational Partnerships Consultant - EuropeE: nikki.buckley@visitbritain.orgT: 020 8563 3048

Alternatively, visit VisitBritain’s dedicated website for the UK tourismindustry and a searchable database of all VisitBritain’s MarketingOpportunities: www.visitbritain.com/marketingplanner

Why not sign up to our Industry E-Newsletter, or register withVisitBritain to be kept up to date with all that’s new in Greeceand other markets worldwide?

www.visitbritain.com/ukindustry

Information Sources Used to Compile this ReportInternational Passenger Survey figures (IPS) (Office for NationalStatistics)

NB: Data from International Passenger Survey has been made availableby the Office for National Statistics and has been used by permission.The ONS do not bear any responsibility for the analysis or interpretationof the data reported here.

• Greek Best Prospects Research 2005• Greek Online “Best Prospects” Research 2005• VisitBritain European Youth Research December 2008• VisitBritain Foresight October 2006 & March 2005• Foriegn & Commonwealth Office• European Commission - Survey on the attitudes of Europeans towards

tourism March 2009• IMF / Economist / US Census Bureau• CIA World Fact Book https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-

world-factbook/index.html• BBC websites• Tourism Decision Metrics, Tourism Economics• UNWTO (World Tourism Organisation)• FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office)• UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service)

http://www.ucas.com/• ETC (European Travel Commission) New Media Trend Watch

http://www.newmediatrendwatch.com• Internet World Stats 2008 http://www.internetworldstats.com/

• VisitBritain Greece Business Plans, Insights and Intelligence Reports • 2001 UK Census

13) VisitBritain in GreeceG

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