Athens takes two European titles at 2026 World Travel Awards

Athens collected two top European titles at the 2026 World Travel Awards, organisers and local tourism officials said after the Europe Gala Ceremony in Kotor, Montenegro, on 17 October 2026.

The Greek capital was named Europe’s Leading City Break Destination 2026. A second award went to This is Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau, which won Europe’s Leading City Tourist Board 2026.

The results were announced during the 20th anniversary edition of the World Travel Awards Europe Gala Ceremony, held at the Hyatt Regency Kotor Bay Resort. World Travel Awards said the event recognised leading performers from across the region’s travel and tourism industry.

European travel awards spotlight destination marketing

The Athens wins were part of a wider set of Europe-level honours covering airlines, destinations, hospitality groups, resorts and tourism bodies. World Travel Awards described the ceremony as its first edition hosted in Montenegro.

In its account of the results, World Travel Awards said Athens secured the leading city-break title, while local officials said the tourist-board award recognised the city’s convention and visitors bureau at European level.

Recognition announced days after the ceremony

Reports published within the past two days confirmed the two awards and linked them to the 17 October ceremony. The announcements add to the latest round of European travel-industry accolades for 2026 and place Athens among the headline winners cited after the event.

The World Travel Awards programme is widely used across the travel sector to highlight annual regional and global winners. A full list of 2026 Europe winners was published by the organisers following the Montenegro ceremony.