The season has begun, next step tourists until winter

By Vicky Kourlimbini

Extending the season as much as possible, in order to boost arrivals and revenue, is in demand for tourism this year, in an effort to limit the great losses brought by the pandemic. The expansion of the tourist season was one of the main issues yesterday meeting K. Mitsotaki – V. Kikilia. As the Prime Minister noted, 2022 will be the first summer in three years that we will not have essentially pandemic restrictions.

“Our goal is to capitalize on the good image of the country, so that we have the best possible tourist season this spring, summer, autumn and -why not- in winter. Because the central goal of the government is to extend the tourist season.” stressed Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“All the first signs, all the early indicators are extremely encouraging. The first 20 days of April went very well in terms of both imported tourism and domestic tourism,” he said. “With very hard work, with the cooperation of the tourism industry, we will continue in this direction,” he added.

In recent years, the tourist season lasts until mid-October. This happened last year, before the outbreak of the second wave of the pandemic. The expansion will of course depend on the demand and the positions planned by the airlines. However, in case this season lasts longer, businessmen in the field estimate that it would be possible to reach the figures of 2019, when tourism had brought 18.2 billion euros to the fund.

The Guardian is setting a record

At the same time, the Guardian advertises Greece and sees a record number of visitors, with arrivals that will reach the levels of 2019. The publication of theguardian.com states that “according to the first estimates, Greece is entering a season with upward performance that to reach up to 80% or 90% of the arrivals of 2019 “. In the first place, it ranks Alonissos, which according to the publication impresses with the largest natural marine park in the Mediterranean, the underwater museum and the additional possibility for “dives” in the ancient shipwreck with the help of virtual reality.

Then comes Kythnos with the Guardian noting that “with the simplicity offline and the numerous pristine beaches, it will awaken the inner pleasure of even the most cynical tourist”. Also, the relevant list is completed by Astypalea, which is characterized as “the island in the shape of a butterfly, which may belong to the once Italian Dodecanese, but is a bridge of culture with the Cyclades”.