This is South Africans' favourite European holiday destination

With world travel in full swing post-Covid, more South Africans are jetting out of the country to enjoy well-deserved breaks abroad and Greece tops the list as the favourite European destination for locals and those from other African countries.

According to a new survey by international tour operator CV Villas, the island of Santorini leads the list as Africa’s most Google-searched European holiday destination in 15 countries including South Africa, Cameroon and Ethiopia.

In the survey, which analysed Google search data over the past 12 months to find which European countries are the most popular around the world, the Mediterranean island of Ibiza came in second place and the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife in third place.

Ibiza is the second most popular destination for the likes of Moroccans, Kenyans and Zimbabweans, while another Mediterranean island, Sicily, was found to be interesting enough for some African countries.

Several island destinations, including the Turkish city Antalya, Greek hotspot Mykonos and Spanish islands Mallorca and Tenerife, also proved to be highly searched and favoured among African countries.

Ibiza, also known as the party capital, was also the most searched vacation spot for North and Central America, as well as South America.

For Asians, Santorini comes out on top as the most popular European holiday destination. For Europeans Tenerife takes the first spot.

Pete Brudenell, GM of CV Villas said with global travel now kick-starting, “we wanted to inspire travellers to embark on unforgettable journeys by showing how much Europe has to offer ... from breathtaking landscapes to vibrant nightlife and beach retreats”.

“Looking at the results, it's great to see how European travel is admired around the globe, as well as witness the ongoing curiosity for hidden gems within Europe.”

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