The most paradoxical statistic in Attica that makes hoteliers and Athens airport wonder

A surprising statistical conclusion emerged from the satisfaction survey of tourists visiting Athens by the Attica Hoteliers Association. While the city has the most diverse tourist product compared to its competitors, for years it has ended up “selling” the least and most obvious of its entire travel identity. That is, only its historic center.

“We find that the largest percentage of tourists who come to Athens do not visit the islands of the Argosaronic Gulf. In fact, they do not even know about them! And that is why they are often left out of the survey,” emphasized Stefan Merkenhof, Managing Consultant of GBR Consulting during the presentation of the established Guest Satisfaction Survey” by the Athens - Attica and Saronic Gulf Hoteliers Association (ESA) in collaboration with AIA.

For her part, the head of the survey, Maripola Kotsi, Head of Market Research at AIA, explained that for many tourists, Athens remains almost exclusively the Acropolis, the historical center and perhaps a -by chance- stroll along the Riviera.

The most paradoxical statistic of Athens: Most tourists ignore the Riviera and the Saronic Gulf
This paradoxical finding raises the following question: how is it possible that millions of tourists arrive in Athens every year and in the age of social media and technology, the largest percentage leave without having visited or even knowing about the Saronic Gulf islands?

“It saddens me that for the first time we are seeing a decline on the coastal front and that many tourists from Athens are not even aware that the wider Attica region has dozens of seaside and island destinations within a stone’s throw of the center,” emphasizes Evgenios Vassilikos, president of EXA, warning that both the nearby islands of the Argosaronic Gulf (Hydra, Agistri, Spetses, Aegina, Poros) and a large part of the Attica Riviera are essentially left off the “tourist map.”

Is Athenian tourism losing huge revenues because visitors perceive the city as a single-theme destination?

Certainly, as he said, there is a need to develop alternative forms of tourism but also to properly highlight the islands and many diamond-like areas of the region, since they have not yet received the targeted promotion and position they deserve.

Consequently, the average per capita expenditure and the length of stay could increase, while the boost to local production and gastronomy would be enormous.

“Despite the fact that there has been a radical upgrade since 2017. Certainly, The Ellinikon will also play a major role, as will individual actions, such as the Metallica concert with record attendance or the recent filming with Brad Pitt in Hydra.”

Furthermore, he added that the EXA team, in collaboration with the Attica Region, is already preparing a series of targeted actions and promotion exclusively for the wider Attica region, while the new large hotel units on the Athens beachfront will have their own contribution to spreading the reputation.

The term “Wider Athens” and the decongestion of the historical center by tourists

Alexandros Thanos, executive advisor to SETE, also expressed his surprise at the surprising result:

“Athens seems to have acquired a special status in recent years. It is not simply a transit destination for popular destinations, but most arrivals do not realize this and are limited to the experience around its historical center. Therefore, getting to know wider Athens may be a solution to decongest the historical center.”

Ioanna Papadopoulou, Director of Communication and Marketing at AIA, agrees, saying that the term “wider Athens” (Wider Region Athens), which is already being used as an emerging brand to promote the wider region of Athens and Attica, is extremely beneficial for its promotion.

"We are surprised that tourists do not know this yet, because as is known, there are now airlines that form partnerships with wider regions, with the common goal of development. So there is a very big opportunity for Athens and Attica and we will work on this and join forces," he said.

According to the research, however, it is positive that in 2025 there was an increase in daily spending by 10% compared to 2024, with the highest increase recorded for attractions and entertainment.

Visitors are willing to spend on meaningful activities, cultural content and leisure opportunities. However, the awareness of specific events, special offers and complementary experiences remains relatively limited.

This indicates a communication gap rather than necessarily a product gap: although Athens has a wealth of content, its transformation into visible and immediately bookable experiences remains incomplete, the research authors conclude.