ATHENS — Travel across Europe fell by almost 60 pct in 2020 compared to 2019, according to a Phocuswright survey presented by Peter O'Connor, Phocuswright's market analyst, at the 4th International Hospitality Forum, which was organised online by the Hotel Chamber of Greece in collaboration with Phocuswright.

In fact, with the announcement of the availability of vaccines, the recovery is expected to start quickly, with an increase of almost 50 pct for 2021, according to research findings, which noted that safety and protection remain the two main concerns, so that both destinations and hotel units need to communicate frequently and coordinate their efforts to protect visitors. The same applies to cancellation and refund policies, as many consumers are reluctant to make a reservation unless it is very clear under what circumstances they will receive a refund in the event of an ongoing crisis.

After 2021, the future looks even more encouraging, the research underlined. Although it will take more time for long-distance destinations to recover, European travelers seem ready to travel and Greece has everything needed to guarantee that it will be a key destination in 2022 and beyond.