Corfu tops Easter 2026 travel searches among Greek destinations, reflecting strong domestic demand ahead of the holiday period according to Booking.com.
Rising demand for Easter travel is pointing to a strong start for Greece’s 2026 tourism season, with Booking.com data showing increased interest in both domestic and international destinations ahead of Orthodox Easter on April 12.
Speaking to journalists during a media briefing in Athens on Tuesday, Alessandro Callari, regional manager for Greece at Booking.com, said search data for stays between April 6 and 12 – based on accommodation searches conducted between February 28 and March 7, 2026 – highlights Corfu Town as the most in-demand destination among Greek travelers.
Nafplio, Thessaloniki, Ioannina, Kalamata, Nafpaktos, Volos, Ermoupoli and Chania also rank high on the list.
In terms of outbound travel, major European cities dominate international searches by Greeks, with Rome, Paris, Istanbul, London, Budapest, Vienna, Barcelona, Milan and Venice among the most popular choices.
At the same time, international demand for Greece remains robust, led by Germany, the United Kingdom, France, Poland, the United States, Italy and Romania.
A mix of city, island and mainland destinations is driving Easter 2026 demand for Greece, with strong interest from key markets including Germany, the UK, France and the US.
The positive trend comes despite ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, which continue to weigh on global travel sentiment.
“Although tourism is a fragile industry, especially during periods of geopolitical instability, we are optimistic about Greece, as booking trends remain positive,” said Callari. “The market is proving very resilient, particularly thanks to strong demand from countries such as Germany, France and Poland.”
Strong demand from key markets
Alessandro Callari, regional manager for Greece at Booking.com.
According to Booking.com, Greece continues to perform well across its key source markets, with demand from major European countries showing year-on-year growth. The country is also maintaining momentum as one of the fastest-growing tourism markets among its main competitors, including Italy, Spain and France.
Callari noted that the sector has become more adaptable in recent years, drawing on lessons learned during the pandemic.
“During the pandemic we learned an important lesson: nothing lasts forever,” he said. “We are now better prepared to respond quickly and recover as soon as demand returns.”
Domestic travel is also playing an important role in sustaining demand, particularly during periods of uncertainty, with Greek travelers showing a clear preference for destinations within the country during the Easter holiday period.
Greek hoteliers show confidence
Presenting findings from Booking.com’s European Accommodation Barometer 2025, Callari pointed to growing confidence among Greek hospitality businesses.
Greek hoteliers appear among the most optimistic in Europe regarding their future prospects and are planning to hire an average of nine employees over the next 12 months.
However, challenges remain, particularly around staffing, with irregular working hours, salary expectations and seasonality cited as key barriers.
“Greek hospitality entrepreneurs are becoming increasingly optimistic about the future, with business sentiment significantly stronger compared to previous years and, for the first time, exceeding the EU average,” Callari said, describing the trend as “very promising for the 2026 summer season”.
Greece’s tourism sector continues to show strong momentum, supported by rising demand and growing confidence among hospitality businesses, Booking.com data shows. Photo source: Booking.com
Legal dispute with hoteliers ongoing
Separately, Booking.com addressed the ongoing legal dispute with European hoteliers over so-called “rate parity” clauses – contractual terms that have historically limited hotels’ ability to offer lower prices through their own direct channels.
Callari said the claims currently involve around 3,000 accommodation partners in Europe, representing approximately 0.1 percent of the platform’s total partner base in the region.
“At this stage, we believe the claims are based on a misinterpretation of the rules,” he said to GTP Headlines on the sidelines of the media briefing. He noted that the European Court of Justice did not rule that parity clauses are unlawful, but rather that they fall under EU competition law and should be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Asked whether the company remains confident about the outcome, Callari said Booking.com is optimistic.
“We strongly believe this is a misinterpretation, and we remain focused on supporting our partners to grow their business through our platform and technology,” he added.
Industry figures, however, point to a broader scale of legal action. According to HOTREC, the European umbrella association of hotels, restaurants and cafés, more than 15,000 hoteliers across Europe – including around 1,000 in Greece – have joined legal proceedings against Booking.com, while the company maintains that the number is closer to 3,000.
The dispute follows a recent court ruling in Amsterdam, which marked a further step in the ongoing legal process, as the broader debate over pricing practices and competition in the online travel sector continues across Europe.
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