By Molly Grace
Copyright euroweeklynews
The Costa Blanca Tourist Board has launched a campaign in Greece to consolidate and strengthen the new direct air route linking Alicante and Athens, a connection that began operating this summer with EasyJet. The promotional drive aims to ensure the sustainability of the link while opening up new opportunities for cultural, business and tourist exchange between the two Mediterranean destinations.
Since its launch, the Alicante–Athens service has already carried more than 11,000 passengers, underlining the demand for a direct route between the two regions. Keen to capitalise on this momentum, the Costa Blanca Tourist Board, led by its director José Mancebo, has worked with Turespaña, Spain’s national tourism agency, to present the destination to Greek travel professionals. The initiative has included a promotional event in Athens, attended by tour operators, travel agencies and specialist media outlets. During the presentation, the Costa Blanca highlighted its diverse tourism offer: from its renowned Mediterranean beaches to inland nature reserves, cultural heritage, gastronomy and year-round leisure activities. The campaign is designed to position Alicante province not only as a summer holiday spot but also as a versatile destination for Greek travellers seeking cultural city breaks, gastronomic experiences and active tourism.
Mancebo emphasised that the Greek market represents an exciting new opportunity for the region. By investing in promotional activities now, the Tourist Board aims to ensure that the air route is not a seasonal experiment but a stable connection with growth potential in the coming years. The initiative also reflects a wider strategy to diversify Costa Blanca’s tourism markets. Traditionally reliant on visitors from northern and western Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, Germany and Scandinavia, the region has in recent years sought to tap into emerging markets in Eastern Europe and now southern Europe. Direct flights are central to this policy, making access easier for new groups of travellers and supporting two-way flows of culture and commerce.
EasyJet’s decision to introduce the route is seen as a milestone for Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport, which continues to expand its network of international connections. The backing from local tourism institutions demonstrates the importance placed on ensuring airlines find new destinations commercially viable.
For Costa Blanca, success in Greece could set a precedent for similar promotional campaigns in other new markets. With early passenger figures showing promising uptake, the challenge now lies in converting a new connection into a long-term bridge between two historic Mediterranean regions.
