Greek tourism is running at full speed for a record year

Greek tourism is marching at full speed for a record year that will surpass that of 2019, as evidenced by the performance so far in terms of arrivals and revenues.

As the president of the Panhellenic Federation of Hoteliers Grigoris Tasios emphasizes to the Athenian Macedonian News Agency, “if one takes into account the image in the popular destinations of Greece, it seems that this will happen. Of course, we have to wait until August to see the development of October and September”, adds the president of POX.

With two speeds the race to fullness in popular and land destinations

Regarding occupancy in hotels, Mr. Tasios states that in the sun and sea model there is a good occupancy that reaches an average of 80% even until September. Of course, there are also units where occupancy is at 100%, as emphasized.

On the other hand, the land destinations of the country do not have good occupancy and are waiting for the internal market to move. Peloponnese, Magnesia, Delphi and other destinations are not “running” at the same speed in the race of arrivals and expect an increase in tourist traffic, through social tourism programs etc., adds Mr. Tassios.

At the end of the year the fund will be made according to the president of FedHatta

As far as the estimates for this year are concerned, the president of the FedHatta Federation of Tourist Offices, Lyssandros Tsilidis, states that tourism in Greece indeed has great mobility between June and September, as do competing holiday countries. However, at the end of the year, the fund will be made, Mr. Tsilidis emphasizes, and reminds that full travel mobility will return when we completely exit the Covid era. At the same time, we are in the midst of inflationary pressures, energy, a pandemic, a fact that also has an impact on tourist flows.

In the meantime, Mr. Tsilidis focuses on the characteristic of this year, which as he says is the fact that people are traveling alone, who benefit from tickets they had bought in the past, at lower prices. This, as Mr. Tsilidis explains, “is a new model that exists all over the world and it also exists in Greece, but this is not a characteristic of the mass and organized tourism that gives the big numbers in Greece. “However, it gives mobility and they drive the local economy, but woe betide if Greece decides to stay in this model”, as Mr. Tsilidis mentions and adds: “the tour operators bring a lot of people, as this is how tourist offices, buses, tour guides operate” etc.

England leads the way in arrivals in Greece

With regard to the countries that lead the way in tourist arrivals in Greece, the English have the first place among the markets of Europe, followed by the Germans with lower rates, according to Mr. Tassios. In the meantime, the French have already begun their descent into Greece, while the arrivals of visitors from the Netherlands and Italy are on the rise.

The USA is an important market for tourism revenue, but it is not spread throughout the country

Focusing on the US market, which this year is the market that has practically compensated to a multiple extent, whatever losses Greece has from Russia and Ukraine, Mr. Tassios emphasizes the following: “Yes, they are the ones who make the difference for the following reasons: The exchange rate with the Euro helps them, but also the many flights that exist from the USA to Greece. But the Americans go to specific areas, such as Athens, Cyclades and some other airports. On the contrary, the Russians went everywhere. From Peloponnese, Thassos, Crete, Halkidiki. It is good for the state that the Americans are coming, but they are not spreading throughout Greece,” adds Mr. Tassios.