Operators are bracing for a spike in Greece travel demand, as Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey hits the big screen, set to be one of the biggest films of the year.
UTracks says the film’s debut is about to send a large number of people to search for tours in Greece, citing The White Lotus Effect, which saw hotel numbers double in Sicily’s Taormina after Season 2 of The White Lotus was filmed there.
“Christopher Nolan’s film will introduce Homer’s story to an entirely new generation of travellers and, with that, the Ionian Islands will certainly be on the radar,” says UTracks gm New Zealand Natalie Tambolash. At the same time Explore World wide’s marketing manager AU/NZ Emma Fehon says ‘set-jetting’ is one of the key travel trends shaping traveller behaviour.
“More and more people are being inspired to visit destinations they’ve seen in films, TV series, and books, seeking a deeper connection with the places that captured their imag ination,” she says. “From Paddington in Peru and Gladiator 2 to White Lotus Series 3 to Letters From Everest by George Mallory and Tom Newton Dunn, those and more recent releases like The Odyssey are sure to inspire future travel.”
. . . Trips
For agents looking to cater to the Odysseus-inspired trend, UTracks has an eight-day guided Ionian Islands Bike & Sail itinerary that includes a full day exploring Ithaca, the island Homer made famous, with it also taking in Kefalonia, Paxos, Lefkas, Meganisi and Corfu, priced from $5350pp.
“These islands have long drawn travellers who love local culture and history, and Ithaca in particular is a place that rewards anyone who takes the time to get off the main road and into the backroads,” adds Tambolash.
Explore has small-group adventures in the iconic Greek Islands and the historic Peloponnese region, with options including a 14-day Greek Island Wanderer, priced from AUD4790pp, as well as the 13-day Peloponnese Explorer, from Olympia to Athens, priced from AUD5910pp. See more on UTracks HERE, and Explore HERE.
