Athens is attracting more and more American visitors, while interest in the Greek capital soared last year particularly among Israelis and Cypriots, a new survey by Greek tourism research group Tourix revealed on Wednesday.

Researchers examined the web searches from various countries around the world and found that, again, the Americans and the British were the most eager to find out about visiting Athens last year. However, while web searches on terms related to securing accommodation in Athens soared 59% in the United States, there was a 9% decline in the United Kingdom. France and Germany followed the UK in third and fourth place.

The Italians ranked fifth with the Cypriots in sixth, as Cyprus nationals showed a 32% increase in interest. Israel posted an even greater rise in interest, up 42% from 2020, ranking seventh, just above Canada, which posted a 3% reduction.

Australia and Spain were strong markets for Athens tourism in 2019, but the onset of the pandemic changed visitor patterns and habits, with Switzerland and the Netherlands taking their positions in the top 10.

The ranking is based on searches conducted by web users through the Google platform.

This article was previously published at ekathimerini.com.