How did air and road arrivals move in the first quarter?

By Vicky Kourlimbini

In the first quarter, 741 thousand international air arrivals were recorded compared to 1.2 million in the period January-March 2019, showing a decrease of 48.9% or 489 thousand arrivals. These are data included in the April statistical bulletin of the Institute of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises. The comparison is made with the record year for Greek tourism, before the outbreak of the pandemic, when arrivals from abroad in total exceeded 30 million and revenues of 18 billion euros.

In particular, 178 thousand arrivals were recorded in January, showing a decrease of 52.6% or 198 thousand, in February 223 thousand arrivals, showing a decrease of 37.8% or 136 thousand, while in March, 340 thousand were recorded, showing a decrease. by 31.4% or by 155 thousand arrivals. In the period January-March, 498 thousand international air arrivals were recorded at Athens International Airport, showing a decrease of 381 thousand or -43.4%.

It was followed by Thessaloniki airport where 211 thousand international air arrivals were recorded, showing a decrease of 111 thousand or 34.5%. At the other airports the air arrivals were less than 10 thousand. At Heraklion airport there was a decrease of 9 thousand or 49.8%, while international air arrivals amounted to 9 thousand. At Chania airport, 8 thousand arrivals were recorded, showing an increase of 3 thousand or 59.0%, while at Corfu airport, 4 thousand arrivals were recorded, showing an increase of 3 thousand or 676%. Finally, 4 thousand international air arrivals were recorded at Rhodes airport.

In terms of road arrivals, 583 thousand international road arrivals were recorded in the quarter, compared to 1.4 million in the period January-March 2019, showing a decrease of 57.4% or 785 thousand road arrivals. Remarkable is the number of road arrivals at the station of Krystallopigi where in the reported period amount to 107 thousand compared to 116 thousand arrivals in the first quarter of 2019, recording a decrease of only 7.6%. On the contrary, the largest percentage decrease is recorded at Nymfaia station where the decrease amounts to 92.8% m while in the first quarter of 2022 only 17 thousand arrivals are recorded compared to 243 thousand in the corresponding period of 2019.

The revenue side is crucial

According to the BoG data for the two months, travel receipts decreased by 36.3% compared to the corresponding period of 2019 and amounted to 273 million euros. Revenues from Germany fell by 15.8% to 40 million euros, while receipts from France fell by 31.6% to 11 million euros. From outside the EU-27, receipts from the United Kingdom fell by 28.5% to € 29 million. Receipts from the US fell by 50.2% to 15 million euros, while those from Russia by 56.9% to 5 million euros.

The gap will be further reduced

The Easter and May Day periods went well in terms of traffic, as pointed out by tourism agents, and the gap in both arrivals and revenues is expected to close even further as we move towards summer. Based on the demand, in fact, it is not excluded that the arrivals and receipts will approach the levels of 2019.

The Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilias, in a TV interview (https://www.capital.gr/oikonomia/3633836/b-kikilias-epimikunoume-tin-touristiki-periodo-anabathmizoume-to-touristiko-proion), stressed that Easter and on May Day the first results of the effort to expand the tourist season were seen and the goal is to have a similar picture after the summer months, until December. “Indeed, the tourist season on both flights and cruises has been extended. From March 7, we have direct flights from America to Athens and flights and capacity from Germany, England, France, Israel and the Nordic countries are increasing. “, said Mr. Kikilias.

As mentioned, TUI this year doubles its airline flights to Greece, the German Der Touristik, which also represents the Nordic countries, records a significant increase, Condor operates flights to Athens after 25 years, while the French market already requests from our country travel packages for October and November.