More Foreign Visitors at Thessaloniki Hotels in 2017

Foreign visitors outnumbered domestic travelers choosing to stay at hotels in the northern port city of Thessaloniki in 2017, with sector professionals speaking of a changing trend for the year ahead.

According to Thessaloniki Hotels Association (THA) data, the number of overnight stays in 2017 grew by 2.7 percent to 2,371,905 compared to 2,309,617 in 2016.

At the same time, the number of Greek visitors seeking hotel accommodation dropped by 6.25 percent to 1,149,932 overnight stays compared to 1,226,544 in 2016, while the number of foreign visitors staying at the port city’s hotels rose by 12.82 percent to 1,221,973 stays compared to 1,083,073 in 2016.

Photo source: Porto Palace Hotel Thessaloniki

Travelers from Cyprus took the lead with 142,598 overnight stays in 2017, up by 1.07 percent compared to 2016. Tourists from Turkey followed with 88,531 overnight stays, up by 8.03 percent, while US holidaymakers made 87,998 overnight stays marking a 20.22 percent increase.

According to THA estimates, visitors from Israel and Germany are set to break all records in 2018 with the latter making 81,998 overnight stays in 2017, up by 24.19 percent. Israel nationals doubled the number of overnight stays in town to 84.224 up by 87.31 percent.

In the meantime, the number of overnight stays by Romanian travelers decreased to 69,478, while Italian guests at Thessaloniki hotels increased by 15.12 percent.