February 11, 2025

Halkidiki: An Extensive Destination Analysis

A data-driven look at Halkidiki’s tourism trends, demand growth, and the factors that make it a stable force in Greek hospitality.

 

Posidi Beach

Executive Summary

This report analyzes key trends and insights related to tourism demand for the region of Halkidiki, Greece. By examining data from booking engines, search engines, and advertising platforms, we identified a significant year-over-year increase in demand for 2024 compared to 2023. Key findings include:

  • Google searches for Halkidiki in 2024 increased by 10.5% compared to 2023
  • Domestic demand from Greece remains the strongest at nearly 20% of total demand
  • Families and couples are the primary guest types driving growth, with demand more than doubling from May to June 2024
  • While absolute demand has increased, the growth in number of properties has slightly dampened the impact felt by individual hoteliers
  • Panadvert’s hospitality clients in Halkidiki saw an average increase of +37% in revenue from direct bookings in 2024 compared to 2023

The analysis highlights opportunities for tourism stakeholders to optimize targeting, pricing, and marketing strategies based on these demand trends and market insights.

 

Data Sources and Methodology

Data was collected for the period from January 2023 through December 2024. This analysis leverages data from three primary sources:

  1. Search Engine Data: Google search data revealing overall interest in Halkidiki as a destination, including year-over-year comparisons.
  2. Booking Engine Data: Demand and booking trends for over 650 hotels in Halkidiki, segmented by country, request date, and check-in date. On average, 1-5% of search volume translates to actual reservations. This grows inversely proportionally.
  3. Reviews: Nearly 100,000 reviews were analyzed – 47,969 reviews from 582 hotels for 2023 and 50,525 reviews from 628 hotels for 2024.
  4. CPC (Cost-Per-Click) Data: Advertising cost and competition trends for Halkidiki keywords.

Limitations include potential gaps in booking engine coverage and the reliance on Google search data as a proxy for overall demand.

Google searches for Halkidiki 2023 vs 2024

In order to get a general image of the destination landscape, we first sought to analyze the destination trends from Google searches. We see a clear increase in demand in 2024 compared to 2023. It is worth pointing out that the demand in 2023 during the earlier months of the year, specifically from mid-February to April, is substantially larger than the same period in 2024. After mid-April, however, it advanced past the demand recorded in 2023, reaching its peak in July.

It is safe to assume that the increase during February-April in 2023 is a direct result of the Greek government announcing that Covid-19 restrictions were officially lifted and, thus, people were eager to book trips that they were not able to book the previous 2 years due to lockdowns and travel restrictions. 

In 2024, the interest in Halkidiki might have been lower at the beginning of the year since people were not as eager to escape the Covid-19-related restrictions, which were more intensely felt at the beginning of 2023. In addition, 2024 started out with financial instabilities, such as energy prices spiking due to the prolonged conflict in Ukraine, as well as inflation affecting all aspects of everyday life, like groceries and rent. People, thus, might have been more hesitant to plan a trip as early.

Accommodation Demand and Request Analysis

Having this general overview of Google searches, we then dove deeper into the data of booking engines to get the full picture of Halkidiki’s hospitality landscape.

Which month was the “hottest” for Halkidiki?

As is the norm in Greece, August was the most in-demand month for visitors to Halkidiki region, both in 2023 and 2024, according to the line graph below, which shows the amount of bookings made each month. We see that the demand increased slightly in 2024, with the biggest increase being in June, but the monthly booking pattern is almost identical to that of 2023. This signals that Halkidiki has very specific types of guests who follow a strict booking pattern and, perhaps, consists of many repeat guests, who visit it year after year.

The behaviours observed show a clear seasonality in Halkidiki, which begins after May and peaks at the end of July-beginning of August. For many, these are the most common dates when they are able to take time off work, and, thus, it comes as no surprise that this is the most in-demand period to book their holiday in Halkidiki.

But, when did the visitors start searching for accommodation?

The following graph shows us the request dates, i.e. when users searched for accommodation in Halkidiki in 2023 vs 2024.

It is evident that prospective travelers began searching for accommodation in Halkidiki as early as January both years. Interest dropped in February and March but started quickly picking up after April, reaching its peak in July, again both years. 

This graph also corroborates our observations in the previous section, regarding the destination Google search behaviours, which are obviously reflected in the search for accommodation for those who moved to the next step in the customer journey – from simple interest in the destination to actually looking for potential dates to stay at it.

However, it is not so simple. Holiday research is usually more spontaneous and might be influenced by several factors, such as early booking offers from hotels promising great discounts, or even specific destinations or hotels trending on TikTok, for example. Even when the destination is decided, booking the accommodation is a whole process on its own: one might check for the same staying period from many different request dates and perform this action for many different hotels in the same destination in order to find the best value-for-money deals.  

Also, there are cases where the demand date charts show more demand compared to the request date charts. Since there are cases where people are daydreaming for their summer vacation even before the start of the new year. So we might have people in 2023 looking to book for summer 2024.

The Conversion Rate

 

The chart below shows the demand by properties over time and the conversion rate over time during January 2023-December 2024. Based on our analysis, even though the demand was higher during the summer months as it was mentioned earlier, we witnessed a higher conversion rate in the later months both in 2023 and 2024.

More specifically, in 2023, the conversion rate, which was measured based on guaranteed stays reviews, was much higher in October for Halkidiki accommodations, even though the request demand was the lowest during this time of the year. This shows that the people who chose to book in October could have been taking advantage of an early booking offer with high discount, which they probably considered “unmissable” and would rather secure their stay in Halkidiki as early as possible. Another explanation could be that they are repeat visitors, who are familiar with the accommodations they choose and know already that they will be coming back next year, so they booked it early to secure the best rate.

The behaviours we witnessed in 2024, however, are completely different. While demand was significantly lower during January-March, compared to the same period in 2023, the conversion rate was nearly double what we saw in 2023. This shows that even though the people who were searching for accommodation in Halkidiki were fewer, they were ready to convert, i.e. proceed to booking.

It is important to keep track of such changes in behaviour because they directly affect a hotel’s digital advertising strategy and ROAS.

 

Competition Examination in terms of Digital Advertisement

 

Our analysis of digital advertising competition in Halkidiki focuses on Google Ads data from 2024, as we lack direct comparison data from 2023, but some important trends emerged.

One key observation is the gap between search demand and advertising competition. While searches for Halkidiki remained high, the cost of bidding for top ad placements fluctuated significantly. 

To understand this better, Google Ads pricing uses micros, where 1 micro = 1 millionth of a dollar. This method avoids floating point precision errors in calculations. The bidding prices we observed reflect this, with some advertisers paying significantly lower amounts at certain times.

There are several possible reasons for these price fluctuations:

  • Google’s algorithm adjusts bid prices based on search volume and advertiser competition. If fewer advertisers are bidding, Google may automatically lower the cost.
  • High competition in 2023 likely influenced early 2024 bids. The high demand from the previous year meant advertisers were already active, keeping competition strong.
  • Search volume and bid prices don’t always align. Just because more people are searching for Halkidiki doesn’t necessarily mean advertisers are increasing their bids at the same rate.

Smart timing is, thus, crucial for optimizing ad spend. Lower demand periods may present opportunities for cost-effective advertising, while high competition requires strategic budget allocation to stay visible. Additionally, search volume and bid prices don’t always align, so businesses must closely monitor trends to maximize return on investment and avoid overpaying during peak bidding periods.

This is where Panadvert’s Performance Advertising team excels. By closely analyzing market trends, adjusting bidding strategies in real-time, and ensuring budgets are allocated efficiently to generate maximum impact, our expertise in digital marketing allows us to identify the right moments to push campaigns, optimizing visibility while keeping costs under control. As a result, our hospitality clients in Halkidiki achieved an average increase of +37% in revenue from direct bookings in 2024, demonstrating the effectiveness of our data-driven advertising strategy in converting interest into actual reservations.

The top hospitality players in Halkidiki

Having analyzed the destination and hospitality landscape, it is worth seeing who the top players are in Halkidiki.

For 2024, the top 5 hotels, according to our PRSI, were:

  1. Sani Beach
  2. Porto Carras Meliton 
  3. Ikos Olivia
  4. Ikos Oceania
  5. Miraggio Thermal Spa Resort

All 5 of the hotels listed above are part of huge resort establishments that cover several acres of some of Halkidiki’s most lush and beautiful landscapes, while 3 out of them are part of the same group, the Sani/Ikos Group, namely Sani Beach, Ikos Olivia and Ikos Oceania.

Sani Beach
Porto Carras Meliton

It’s fascinating to observe how the rankings shifted between 2023 and 2024, with Porto Carras Meliton previously holding the top spot. This serves as a powerful reminder that popularity in hospitality is never static—it’s a dynamic force shaped by perception, experience, and strategic positioning. A strong brand isn’t just about prestige; it’s the foundation that ensures long-term success, transforming one-time guests into loyal advocates. In an industry where trends evolve and competition intensifies, hotels must invest in a compelling brand identity and a comprehensive 360° marketing strategy to maintain relevance, drive direct bookings, and secure their place at the top.

Who travels to Halkidiki?

Our data analysis showed that Halkidiki is almost equally preferred among families and couples with a combined share of nearly 80% out of the total guest types who visit it. It is least preferred by solo travelers, while 15% of its guests comprise groups who choose it for their holidays. This distribution is almost identical to that of 2023, signaling a stability in terms of types of guests who visit Halkidiki and, as we highlighted earlier, points towards repeat guests who know the place and love it and come back year after year.

This does not come as a surprise, as Halkidiki is often cited as an ideal destination for families due to its pristine beaches and clear waters, offering a safe and enjoyable environment for children to swim and play. Additionally, the region boasts some of Greece’s most famous and large all-inclusive resorts and hotels, as analyzed in the previous section, alongside charming villages, ensuring a comfortable and stress-free stay for all family members.

This fact could also explain why we saw early requests for accommodation as well as high conversion rates even before the change of the year, as families tend to book their vacation early in order to find better rates, as well as for parents to secure their leave from work. 

Glarokavos Beach

At the same time, Halkidiki’s plush natural landscape makes it a romantic getaway for couples, as it offers a more tranquil and affordable alternative to the often crowded and expensive Cycladic islands, allowing them to enjoy intimate moments without the typical tourist hustle. 

Having these and everything we have said earlier in mind, we have a clearer picture of the type of guests that visited Halkidiki in 2024. As it is evident from the graph below, July and August were the top in-demand months for families, while both couples and groups showed a particular preference for August. Solo travelers seemed to have preferred September, possibly to avoid the August crowds or they could have been traveling for work, most likely.

Where do the visitors to Halkidiki come from? 

 

Finally, it is worth taking a look at the top markets distribution for the destination of Halkidiki. 

From our analysis, it became evident that the demand for Halkidiki from the top 10 markets increased in 2024 by 10.5%. Overall, the market distribution did not change significantly from 2023 to 2024 since we had proportionate increases in all markets.

Greeks are the top visitors to Halkidiki, as they comprise nearly 20% of the total visitors, followed by United Kingdom (16.33%), Germany (10.3%), USA (7.67%), Italy (5.53%), France (5.38%), Romania (2.81%), Netherlands (2.73%), Israel (2.71%) and Switzerland (2.49%).

RankCountry2024 Penetration (%)2023 Penetration (%)Trend (%)Trend by Property Count (%)
0All Countries100.00%100.00%10.49%-2.16%
1Greece19.40%19.58%9.50%-2.99%
2United Kingdom16.33%16.57%8.88%-3.61%
3Germany10.30%9.91%14.88%1.72%
4United States of America7.67%8.30%2.01%-9.53%
5Italy5.53%5.27%15.93%2.70%
6France5.38%5.84%1.84%-9.91%
7Romania2.81%2.80%10.83%-1.70%
8Netherlands2.73%2.76%9.42%-3.14%
9Israel2.71%2.62%14.36%0.94%
10Switzerland2.49%2.46%11.55%-1.34%

The biggest increase in demand for Halkidiki was found in Italy (+15.93%) followed by Germany (+14.88%) and Israel (+14.36%). 

 

An interesting fact our analysis provided that is worth noting is that even though demand for the destination increased, we saw that the number of properties also increased. This means that the competition in accommodations at the destination also increased. This is important because it means that in 2024 prospect visitors had even more options to choose from and look at. So even though in absolute numbers the demand increased by 10.5%, hoteliers would have felt as if there was a 2% decrease in average. This may not affect the same properties the same way, but it is a general observation across the destination.

Conclusion

Halkidiki continues to solidify its position as a steadfast pillar in Greece’s tourism industry, demonstrating resilience and reliability across key market indicators. The 10.5% increase in demand from the top 10 markets underscores the destination’s sustained appeal, while booking behaviors point towards a high percentage of repeat visitors who return year after year. This consistency in guest types—families and couples being the primary drivers of demand—reinforces Halkidiki’s stability in seasonality and market composition.

Moreover, the demand curve closely mirrors that of previous years, signaling a mature and predictable tourism cycle that allows businesses to plan strategically with confidence, despite the growing number of properties, which has slightly tempered the impact for individual hoteliers.

A key factor in Halkidiki’s success lies in its dominant hospitality players, with luxury resorts such as Sani Beach, Porto Carras Meliton, and Ikos Olivia shaping the region’s high-end tourism landscape. With its ability to maintain a loyal visitor base, a well-established presence in key international markets, and a competitive edge led by top-tier hospitality brands, Halkidiki remains not just a desirable travel destination, but a reliable “fort” within Greece’s broader tourism landscape.

References

  1. Family Traveller. (n.d.). Halkidiki family holidays: Why Greece’s hidden gem is perfect for families. Retrieved from https://familytraveller.com/holiday-destinations/europe/greece/halkidiki-family-holidays/

  2. Halkidiki Travel. (n.d.). Romantic getaway to Halkidiki: 10 enchanting experiences for couples. Retrieved from https://www.halkidikitravel.com/en/blog-about-halkidiki/romantic-getaway-to-halkidiki-10-enchanting-experiences-for-couples-1174

  3. The Sun. (2023). Inside the Greek holiday hotspot with a waterpark, kids' clubs, and golden beaches. Retrieved from https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/32740878/greece-waterpark-halkidiki/