Specifically, Crete ranks 4th, with Greek islands dominating the list as seven have made it into the rankings. The Greek islands highlighted by the magazine’s readers include Paros (3rd place), Skiathos (5th), Rhodes (7th), Zakynthos (12th), Corfu (17th), and Santorini (18th).
The unique experiences and exceptional accommodations found on these Greek islands continue to attract international visitors, as noted in the rankings. Crete, a flagship destination for Greek tourism, has surpassed all expectations in 2024. According to data released by INSETE (the Greek Tourism Confederation’s Research Institute) for the first eight months of 2024, the island’s air arrivals have broken records.
From January to August 2024, Heraklion airport recorded 2.8 million international arrivals, a 5.8% increase or 153,000 more visitors than the previous year. Similarly, Chania airport saw 1.1 million international arrivals, up by 7.6%, or 80,000 more than in 2023.
Domestic arrivals have also shown significant growth. Heraklion recorded 560,000 arrivals, an 11% increase compared to the previous year, while Chania saw 300,000 domestic arrivals, an 8.3% rise.
Crete continues to attract visitors even during the autumn months, with many tourist accommodations already announcing extended operations until mid-November due to ongoing demand in international markets.