ATHENS – [ ANA-MPA]
Greeks proved that despite rising costs and higher prices for accommodation and transportation, they are not abandoning island getaways. Instead, they are adapting by choosing closer and more affordable islands, shorter trips, and last-minute bookings. This is reported by Ferryscanner, a Greek platform for selecting and booking ferry tickets, in a statement regarding its findings from a survey of traveller behaviour conducted between June and August 2025.
At the top of preferences were the islands of Tinos, Paros, Mykonos, Aegina, and Naxos. Compared to 2024, the most notable change was the rise of Aegina, which displaced Syros from the top five, recording an increase of 12.65 %. Other nearby and “value for money” destinations in the Saronic Gulf and Cyclades followed the same trend: Agistri with a spectacular increase of 13.46 %, Kythnos with 5.5 %, and Kea with 2.05 %. Mykonos also continued to rise steadily, up 5.82 %.
On the other hand, more “premium” and traditionally expensive destinations experienced a decline. Santorini saw a decrease of 5.33 %, with recent seismic activity considered a possible deterrent, while Chania experienced a dramatic drop of 26.54 %. This shift appears to be accompanied by an increase in traffic toward Heraklion, which recorded a small but positive rise, confirming a shift of interest within Crete.
According to the company, the emerging picture suggests that closer and more affordable destinations are steadily gaining ground over more expensive and distant ones, as travellers seek flexibility and a better balance between experience and cost.
The data also showed that vacation duration continued to shorten. Nearly half of travellers (49.2 %) chose a 1–3 -day getaway this year, while trips lasting 4–6 days accounted for 35.6 percent, and long trips of 7+ days only 15.2 %. Greek travellers appear to prefer shorter but more frequent trips, confirming the growing “short break” trend in recent years.
Additionally, last-minute booking is on the rise. Almost six in 10 Greeks (59.3 %) booked their trip within the last week before departure, up from 56.9 % in 2024. Another 12.2 % booked within the last two weeks, and an additional 15.2 % within the month. Overall, nearly 87 % of bookings were made within one month of departure, while only 13.3 % were arranged earlier, within a 1–12 month period.
These figures indicate that the vast majority of travelers decide at the last minute, with this trend increasing year by year.
“The need for flexibility, the search for better prices, and the general uncertainty caused by rising costs are prompting Greeks to make their final decisions closer to the departure date,” Ferryscanner noted.
