A new report from ECM-ForwardKeys Quarterly Barometer Report names Crete’s capital of Heraklion as the EU’s most resilient major city in terms of tickets issued for travel for the period October 1st to December 31st of 2020. .
The report, published jointly by ForwardKeys and the non-profit organisation, European Cities Marketing (ECM), reveals Europe’s most resilient cities (those with at least 1.0 percent share of international arrivals) as great leisure hotspots despite the devastating COVID-19 crisis. According to the list, Heraklion flight bookings are only 25.4 percent behind their 2019 level.
Crete is followed by Faro, the chosen entry point for Portugal’s Algarve region, which is 48.7 percent behind. According to ECM-ForwardKeys, the next three places are held by Athens, 71.4 percent behind; Naples, 73.4 percent behind; and Larnaca, at 74.2 percent. ECM President Petra Stušek was quoted by GTP saying:
“The data from the latest barometer shows the power and resilience of cities, even though the meetings industry is still running behind; and the past months were very difficult for city tourism.”
Also according to the report, leisure and personal travel are holding up much better than business travel, and Christmas bookings are looking great. Short notice bookings are also a trend, according to the report.
Heraklion was again in the lead on the list of the Top 10 cities in Europe that showed resilience in the third quarter of 2020. The Greek cities of Athens and Thessaloniki were also on the list.
Source: GTP