The Azores and Northern Greece are the two most underrated destinations of 2022, according to the World Travel Market (WTM) in London these days.
According to a 2022 industry report, 14.5 percent of survey respondents named the Azores as the most underrated destination in the world. At the same time, 14 percent are sure that this status should belong to Northern Greece.
World Travel Market Director Juliette Losardo comments on the results of the survey: “The Azores, with their natural beauty, and Northern Greece, with their impressive historical sites, rightfully occupy the first places in the list of the most underestimated destinations in the world.”
The Azores, an autonomous region of Portugal, is popular with travelers for its natural beauty, wildlife, and leisurely lifestyle. In July 2022, the number of passengers arriving in the Azores reached its highest level in five years at 252,483.
Greece also had a good year, summer 2022 to be exact. And this is in conditions of intense competition with the south of the mainland of the country and the popular islands: Crete, Rhodes, Zakynthos, Kos, etc. However, it is in the north of Greece where Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in the country, is located. It has long been considered a mythical place where the gods of ancient Greece lived. Litochoro, known as the City of the Gods, is located about 100 km from Thessaloniki, the second city of Greece. “The peninsula of Chalkidiki, with its beaches and vineyards, is beautiful, as is the whole of Northern Greece, rich in strong influences found in its Roman, Byzantine, as well as Ottoman past.”
In addition to the Azores and Northern Greece, WTM London’s 2022 industry report lists eight other undervalued destinations.
According to the survey, the top ten most underestimated destinations also include Bulgaria and Scotland – 10% each, Estonia (9.5%), the Netherlands, Sicily, and Slovenia – 9% each, Wales (8%), Bratislava (7%).
More than 19 million foreign tourists visited Greece from January to the end of August this year, according to the Bank of Greece.