Tourism to Zakynthos Slightly Up in May but Unpredictable

Navagio (Shipwreck) Beach, Zakynthos.

The negative media portrayal of Greece and the lingering talk of a potential tax hike in tourism are the making it impossible to draw conclusions for the upcoming tourism season on Zakynthos, financial officer for the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) Christina Tetradi said on Wednesday, revealing the Ionian island’s slightly increased tourism figures for May.

Traffic was up by 3.05 percent in May at Zakynthos airport, which received 387 aircraft transporting 66,826 passengers compared to last year with 386 aircraft handling 64,848 passengers, said Mrs Tetradi, who is also the President of the Laganas Hotel Association.

Tourists from the UK were the primary market for Zakynthos in May, up by 14.65 percent. Travelers from France increased by 43.60 percent and from Poland by 31.79 percent.

On the down side, German tourists opting to visit the island dropped by 56.97 percent, as did those from Russia by 96.68 percent, from Bulgaria by 93.12 percent, from Switzerland 47.09 percent, from the Czech Republic by 40.95 percent, but also from Scandinavian countries, with the number of holidaymakers from Norway dropping by 47.88 percent, from Finland by 34.68 percent and from Sweden by 17.46 percent.