POST-PANDEMIC SHIFTS IN AIR-TOURISM SEASONALITY: ATHENS AND REGIONAL AIRPORTS IN GREECE, 2019–2024

Abstract

This paper examines postpandemic shifts in the seasonality of Greek air-tourism demand over 2019–2024. It compares Athens International Airport with a group of 14 regional airports operated by Fraport Greece, which mainly serve leisure destinations. Seasonality is assessed using three standard inequality and concentration measures (Gini, Theil T and Herfindahl–Hirschman indices) applied to monthly passenger shares, complemented by heat maps and coefficient-of-variation checks. The data cover the pre-pandemic, pandemic and recovery phases, capturing both the one-off COVID-19 shock and subsequent adjustment. The share of traffic in the shoulder months rose modestly (Athens: from 38.4% to about 41%; regions: from 48.5% to around 49%), but the concentration indices for Athens fell below their 2019 levels, indicating a clearer rebalancing of demand across the year. In contrast, regional airports remain strongly dependent on the July–August peak, despite some easing of seasonality. The findings suggest that COVID-19 acted as a catalyst for seasonality smoothing at the metropolitan hub, while adjustments in island destinations have been slower. These results underline the importance of destination management, coordinated airline–airport strategies and targeted incentives for off-peak traffic as part of broader sustainable-tourism and climate policies in Mediterranean countries.