Sun shines on grocery brands with changing tourist behaviour

Tech and the sharing economy has radically changed tourist accommodation in Greece — outstripping traditional options and creating a new kind of traveller. Today’s travellers turn to mobile Search for everything from local restaurants and attractions to purchasing groceries and FMCGs. New behaviour provides new opportunities for brands that are in the right place with relevant messaging.

The Greek accommodation sector has undergone rapid change in recent years. In 2018, Search data revealed that alternative types of accommodation are emerging alongside traditional hotels, B&Bs and hostels1. This change has in turn had a significant and widespread knock-on effect on tourist behaviour.

Alternative accommodation provides an increased element of flexibility and many are self-contained apartments, villas or houses. Guests often have access to a kitchen which means they can cook for themselves — something that is simply not an option at traditional hotels. There’s also no on-site restaurants, or concierges and receptionists to ask for local recommendations, meaning guests turn to Search for answers.

Another increasingly popular choice is to use online food delivery services to order takeaway meals — a growing market trend that tourists are now turning to on their vacations as well as at home.

Hungry travellers use their mobiles to Search for local cuisine — creating engagement opportunities around “what to eat” and “what to drink” moments that arise. The top queries fall into three principal categories including “Supermarket & Grocery” (77%), “Food around me” (20%) and “Food Delivery specific” (3%)2.