Slumping Mykonos, Santorini apparently suffering from negative “value-for-money” reviews

Greece’s two most prominent island destinations, jet-setting Mykonos and iconic Santorini, are apparently slumping early this summer season due to perceptions of poor “value-for-money” ratios.

A social media and travel platform-fueled “backlash” is reportedly behind a 22-percent drop in flights to Santorini (compared to pre-pandemic 2019), for instance, an unofficial figure being cited by news media on the Cyclades isle.

Similar local reports have emerged and are being reproduced by national media concerning Mykonos, citing a roughly 20-percent drop in flights.

Surging prices for travel, accommodations, dining and other holiday-related expenses have essentially precluded most Greeks from visiting the two isles, which were elevated to “high-luxury” status over recent years, while “fatter wallets” from among the local population are apparently avoiding the destinations as overcrowded and overrated.

At the same time, “value-for-money” is among foreign visitors’ top considerations.

One characteristic example of the previous self-confidence of tourism sector professionals on both islands is the fact that no accommodations were made available, on either isle, in a state-subsidized vacation program for eligible Greek wage-earners.

According to local media on the two islands, local and foreign holiday-makers are increasingly choosing less expensive destinations in Greece and abroad.

Indicatively, international arrivals for Mykonos in April 2023 were down by 29 percent, compared to the same month of 2022. The figure was down by 6.4 percent for Santorini, compared to increases of 31.2 percent, 26.8 percent and 17.4 percent for Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Athens, respectively.