Greece has been a resilient, yet endearing destination for visitors for generations. Now it is finally reaping the awards on a global scale.
US backing
Greece has received significant recognition in the US travel market, winning prestigious awards from two influential American travel publications. The accolades highlight the country’s enduring appeal to key demographics, from millennials to multigenerational families.
For the sixth consecutive year, Greece was named “Favourite Country” at the 11th Trazees Awards. The Trazees Awards, hosted by Trazee Travel, are a direct reflection of the preferences of millennial travellers, a highly sought-after and influential demographic in the tourism industry.
Additionally, at the 8th Wherever Awards, Greece was honoured as “Best Family-Friendly Multigenerational Destination” for the third consecutive year.
The country also secured the position of the second most popular “Family-Friendly International Destination” behind Spain. The Wherever Awards are a respected endorsement from family travellers as a market segment that includes diverse age ranges and travel budgets.
Both Trazee Travel and Wherever Family are online publications of FXExpress Publications, a company closely associated with the well-regarded Global Traveller magazine. The winners are determined by thousands of readers who cast their votes online, making the awards a valuable indicator of consumer sentiment and industry preference.
Voted Best European Country
Greece was also named the Best European Country at The Telegraph Travel Awards 2025, marking a significant victory in one of the UK’s most influential travel industry accolades.
In this year’s edition, over 20,000 readers of the British daily newspaper cast their votes across 20 categories, recognising their favourite travel destinations, airlines, hotels, villa rental services, and other experiences based on trips taken in the previous year.
For the first time in 25 years, Italy was unseated from the top spot, with Greece rising to number one. Norway rounded out the top three.
The Telegraph’s online edition praised the decision, describing Greece’s win as “entirely deserved.” The paper wrote: “There are a few things at which Greece doesn’t excel. Its islands, scattered across the Ionian and Aegean Seas, are exquisite just like its ‘visible’ history, carved into the hillsides from the Parthenon in Athens to the ruins of Knossos in Crete.”
First launched in 1998, The Telegraph Travel Awards are regarded as a key barometer of British travellers’ preferences and have a strong influence on the UK travel market. The newspaper itself is considered one of the UK’s most prominent media outlets, with a readership that includes a high-income, travel-savvy audience. Its travel section alone attracts more than 12 million unique visitors annually, while its digital platform boasts over 600,000 subscribers.
Best Beaches
Greece secured the second-highest number of Blue Flag awards worldwide for 2025, with 657 recognised sites, including 623 beaches, 17 marinas, and 17 sustainable tourism boats.
The awards were announced by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (EEPF), the national operator of the international Blue Flag programme.
The Blue Flag programme, managed internationally by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) based in Denmark, recognised a total of 4,302 beaches, 736 marinas, and 158 boats globally. Greece, participating among 52 countries, accounts for 15% of all awarded beaches.
Crete leads among Greek regions with 153 flags, and Halkidiki ranks first among Greek prefectures with 93 awarded beaches. This year’s awards reflect a steady upward trend in Greece’s environmental quality standards, with the number of awarded sites exceeding 600 for another consecutive year.
To earn a Blue Flag, beaches must meet 33 strict criteria—including “Excellent” water quality, organisation, information, safety, environmental protection and awareness.
Andy Probert is an independent journalist who writes about global travel news, airlines, airports, and business. His work has appeared globally on the BBC, and in many national newspapers and magazines.
