Mykonos was the most popular destination for 2024, with 42,881 bookings, followed by Paros with 41,164 bookings and Santorini with 35,092. Naxos and Tinos complete the top five with 29,759 and 21,414 bookings, respectively.
Aegina, Heraklion, Milos and Syros also ranked highly among travelers’ preferences. Foreign visitors showed the greatest preference for Paros, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos and Santorini.
The trend of island-hopping remains strong, with 312,146 passengers choosing combined routes between different islands, according to the relevant data. These are mainly routes operated during the peak summer months, often by high-speed vessels. Notably, these routes are where, according to data from the Ministry of Shipping and those responsible for monitoring ferry ticket prices, significant ticket price increases have been recorded. Meanwhile, on other major routes with conventional ships in 2024, there have been some price reductions.
Looking specifically at the destinations preferred by Greek travelers, Mykonos topped the list, followed by Heraklion (on Crete), Tinos, Paros and Aegina. As for ferry companies, Greeks mainly chose Blue Star Ferries, followed by Seajets, Fast Ferries, Golden Star Ferries and Saronic Ferries. Foreign travelers used Seajets most frequently, followed by Blue Star Ferries, Fast Ferries, and Golden Star Ferries. Data also shows that 162,882 travelers completed same-day trips, while 204,661 passengers traveled with vehicles, reflecting the importance of flexibility in transportation. In total, 877,664 women and 740,391 men traveled, according to Ferryscanner.
With the 2025 ferry schedules expected to be announced by the end of the month, marking the start of the booking season, all attention is focused on developments regarding fuel costs, which will largely determine whether ticket prices remain static, decrease or increase.
With this in mind, the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Christos Stylianides has taken initiatives to contain cost increases and has developed a plan to support and finance the green transition of the Greek ferry fleet – a transition that is also putting upward pressure on ferry companies’ operating costs.
This article was previously published in Greek at kathimerini.gr.
