Greece’s tourism revenue increased by 16.4 percent in 2013, reaching 12.1 billion euros from 10.4 billion euros in 2012, according to data recently released by the Bank of Greece.
Arrivals of foreigners to Greece last year recorded a 15.5 percent increase, according to recently released figures compiled by the border survey of the Bank of Greece.
Greek tourism has hit the ground running this year following 2013’s major increase, as revenues have grown by 17.3 percent in the first two months from the same period last year to reach 294.1 million euros.
Greece’s travel balance showed a surplus of 10.137 billion euros during the January-November 2013 period, up by 1.523 billion euros (or a 17.7 percent increase) compared with the same period in 2012.
Greek revenues from tourism rose by 13.7 percent in the eight-month period between January and August this year, Bank of Greece data published on 29 October showed.
Greece’s travel balance of payments recorded a surplus of 2,607 million euros during the first six months of the year, 27.7 percent more compared with the same period in 2012.
Greece's current account surplus widened during the January-August 2013 period, helped by surging tourism receipts, the Bank of Greece said on 18 October.
International arrivals to Greece increased by 4.6 percent during the first quarter of 2013 compared to last year, the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) said on 23 July.
International visitor arrivals to Greece showed positive growth during the first quarter of 2013 but revenue from tourism reported a drop, data from the Bank of Greece recently revealed.
German tourists are Greece’s biggest spenders on an annual basis as they splashed out some 1.65 billion euros last year, according to the latest report of the Bank of Greece.
The travel expenditure of Greeks who traveled abroad last year was in the lowest position of the past 10 years, according to the latest report released by the Bank of Greece.
The establishment of a Documentation Center For Greek Tourism that brings together 15 stakeholders in the Greek economy, the academic and research community was announced today, 28 March, at a special event of the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels in Athens.
Some 1,700 hoteliers from all over Greece attended the Hellenic Chamber of Hotels’ second general assembly that took place this year on the sidelines of the 8th HO.RE.CA. Expo, on Saturday, 9 February, at the Metropolitan Expo Center.
Greek tourism was not at its best in the first half of the year compared to competing countries such as Turkey, Cyprus and Spain, the Greek press said last month. This was mainly due to negative publicity abroad during the two election periods.
International bookings dropped some 50 percent only a few days after Greece’s general elections, according to Andreas Andreadis, president of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE).
“It is unrealistic to expect an increase in arrivals to Greece this year,” Taleb Rifai, the secretary general of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) said last month during a joint press conference in Athens with Culture and Tourism Minister Pavlos Yeroulanos.
