Greece’s Online Reputation Dips Amidst Natural Disasters, Yet Tourism Experience Remains High
Athens, November 23 – A recent analysis by INSETE for the period of July to September 2025 indicates a notable decline in Greece’s online reputation. This downturn is primarily attributed to a series of intense weather and natural phenomena that fostered a negative online sentiment. Despite these challenges, the overall assessment of the travel experience in Greece continues to be exceptionally high, underscoring the enduring international competitiveness of Greek tourism.
Deep Pressure on the Net Sentiment Index Due to Natural Phenomena
During the third quarter of 2025, Greece, and particularly Athens, registered among the lowest positions in the Net Sentiment Index (NSI) when compared to competing destinations. The confluence of wildfires in Crete and the Peloponnese, seismic activity, disruptions to coastal ferry services caused by strong winds, and floods in Kefalonia and Zakynthos, collectively led to a substantial increase in negative online reports.
Consequently, the NSI for Greece dropped to 15, and for Athens, it fell to 16. In contrast, Croatia stood at 59, Portugal at 37, Italy at 36, and Spain at 20. Nevertheless, with the abatement of these phenomena in September, the situation improved considerably. The index rebounded to 34 for Greece and 37 for Athens, nearing Italy’s performance (40) and surpassing both Portugal (18) and Spain (31). Croatia maintained its leading position with an NSI of 62.
Culture, Hospitality, and Gastronomy: Pillars of a Positive Image
Despite the prevailing negative circumstances, the content of online discussions clearly demonstrates that Greece continues to reinforce its brand through high-value thematic areas for travelers.
- Culture: With 33,089 mentions and an NSI of 86, culture emerged as the most potent positive factor.
- Hospitality and Gastronomy: These sectors achieved very high scores of 85 and 77 respectively, reaffirming the traditional strengths of Greece.
Popular narratives included visits to the iconic Acropolis and the immersive experience of Athens, the revered monasteries of Meteora, the pristine natural beauty of Astypalaia and Kefalonia, and authentic activities such as olive harvesting in the Peloponnese, wine tasting in Santorini, hiking in Rouvas Gorge, and observing sea turtles in Zakynthos.
The Environment Remains the ‘Weak Link’
Discussions with a negative impact on Greece’s reputation predominantly revolved around environmental issues and natural phenomena. These topics garnered 10,633 mentions and registered the lowest NSI of 55. Wildfires, heatwaves that necessitated the closure of the Acropolis, and cancellations of travel routes due to strong winds intensified the negative sentiment. Additionally, tensions between Israeli visitors and local residents added further pressure to the online discourse.
According to TCI Research, the increasing frequency of extreme weather events highlights an urgent need for investments in resilient infrastructure, energy upgrades, and enhanced protection for tourist destinations.
Extremely High Experience Satisfaction – Consistently Top in Europe
Despite the aforementioned challenges, overall satisfaction with the travel experience in Greece remains at remarkably high levels:
- Average score: 9.1, significantly exceeding the European average of 8.7.
- This score is higher than Croatia (9.0), Portugal (8.8), Italy (8.8), and Spain (8.7).
- In the third quarter, nearly 319,000 reviews were recorded, with consistent monthly scores ranging between 9.0 and 9.1.
Regional Performance: Opportunities and Challenges
Most Greek Regions achieved satisfaction scores above 9.0, with the top performers being:
- Western Macedonia (9.6)
- Western Greece (9.4)
- Thessaly (9.4)
- Attica and Epirus (9.2)
It is noteworthy that less developed tourist regions, such as Western Macedonia and Western Greece, demonstrated excellent performance, opening new avenues for the geographical expansion of tourism activities.
By thematic experience category:
- Culture: Thessaly and Western Greece emerged as champions with a score of 9.5.
- Sea: Peloponnese & Epirus scored 9.4, while the North Aegean registered a lower 8.2.
- Gastronomy: Western Greece led with 9.3, followed by the Ionian & Crete with 9.2.
- Hospitality: The Ionian Islands achieved an impressive 9.6, with strong performances also noted in Thessaly-Attica.
- Value for Money: Western Macedonia stood out with a perfect 10.0.
- Sustainability: This category showed wide variation, ranging from 10.0 in Western Macedonia to 7.3 in Thessaly.
- Hygiene: Best performance was observed in Western Greece (9.3) and the North Aegean (8.7), with lower scores in the Ionian Islands.
The low environmental certification of Greek hotels is increasingly becoming a critical concern, particularly for the new generation of travelers who prioritize sustainability in their choices.
Major Markets Give Vote of Confidence to Greece
Key markets contributing significantly to tourism revenue rated their experience in Greece as follows:
- USA: 9.4
- UK: 9.0
- Germany: 8.7
- France: 8.5
- Italy: 8.4
The consistently high scores across all major markets underscore Greece’s sustained appeal and its capacity to deliver experiences that meet the expectations of international travelers, even during challenging periods.
