Romanians continue to prefer Greece for their summer holidays, and the upward trend for the Greek islands continues in 2014. Greece surpassed Turkey for the first time this year in Romanian tourists’ top choices, according to travel agencies.

The number of charters leaving from Romania to Greece will exceed for the first time this year the number of flights to Antalya and the other Turkish resorts, carrying a total of over 110,000 Romanian tourists to the Greek islands, compared to 90,000 to Turkey, according to a statement of the Paralela 45 travel agency.

“Greece is growing as a destination and we forecasted this since late-2013, when we already had more early bookings than in the previous years. Greece has won in Romanians’ preferences because it has a greater variety of hotels, ranging from one to five stars, and the prices kept dropping,” said Alin Burcea, the president of Paralela 45.

On average, a tourist pays some EUR 500 for a week in Greece, accommodation plus the flight, while a package in Turkey costs EUR 700. Romanians tend to give up the all-inclusive facilities in Turkey for a lower price in Greece, according to Paralela 45.

Besides the Greek destinations in its portfolio, such as Halkidiki, Thasos, Paralia Katerini and Corfu, Paralela 45 also included Naxos and Paros islands in this year’s touristic offer.

A 7-night stay in Naxos starts at a price of EUR 466 per person plus airport taxes, while for Paros the offer starts at EUR 483 per person plus airport taxes.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com