One very bright forecast for the coming – and all-important – tourism season in Greece is the prospect of a new record in terms of cruise ship arrivals to ports in the east Mediterranean country.
According to the latest figures of pre-bookings and information released by port authorities – especially the Piraeus Port Authority – 752 vessels have already requested docking rights in 2022, a number only in the latter. Of the figure, 575 cruise ships will use Piraeus as their home port, with the rest using it as “transit”.
By comparison, in 2019 – a banner year for Greek tourism – 622 cruise ships docked at the port of Piraeus, Greece’s biggest and largest port facility and the greater Athens area’s maritime hub.
The subsequent year, Covid-19 battered 2020, witnessed a disastrous 88-percent reduction in the number of cruises vessels docking in Piraeus, compared to 2019.
In terms of other ports, 242 dockings of cruise vessels have already been booked for the port of Irakleio, on Crete, compared to 205 two years ago; 489 compared to 416 in 2019 for the Ionian island of Corfu; 103 bookings so far for Hania, also on Crete, compared to 130 for all of 2019.
The northern metropolis of Thessaloniki is also developing into a cruise destination, with 53 vessels scheduled to arrive in 2022, compared to a paltry six in 2019.
The first cruise ship to dock in Thessaloniki, in fact, arrived a few days ago, namely, the Viking Cruises’ “Viking Sky”.
στο Google News και μάθετε πρώτοι όλες τις ειδήσειςLatest News
Istanbul Earthquake – Greek Prof. Concerned Major Quake Yet to Strike
Responding to concerns over whether a potential major quake in Istanbul could affect Greece, Papazachos was reassuring: “The fault extends as far as Lemnos and the Northern Sporades, but it doesn’t rupture all at once. An earthquake in Istanbul doesn’t have the capacity to directly affect Greek territory.”
Greece 4th Most Popular Summer Destination for Europeans
Southern Europe remains the top choice for Europeans at 41%, though down 8% from last year, likely due to rising temperatures and climate concerns.
Easter Sales Performance and the Source of €4–5 Million in Losses
Easter retail sales were relatively weak this year, with the only "real winners" being the livestock farmers who had lambs to sell.
Hotel Foreclosures Continue to Plague Greece’s Islands
A surge in hotel foreclosures across Greece’s islands threatens small tourism businesses, despite booming visitor numbers and record-breaking travel in 2024.
Athens Launches Task Force to Safeguard Historic City Center
The new municipal unit will ensure compliance to zoning laws, curb noise, and address tourist rental issues starting from the Plaka district.
WTTC: Travel & Tourism to Create 4.5M New Jobs in EU by 2035
This year, international visitor spending is set to reach 573 billion euros, up by more than 11% year-on-year
IMF: US Tariffs Shake Global Economy, Outlook Downbeat
IMF slashes global growth forecast to 2.8% as U.S. tariffs create uncertainty and ‘negative supply shock
First Step Towards New Audiovisual Industry Hub in Drama
The project is set to contribute to the further development of Greece’s film industry and establish Drama as an audiovisual hub in the region
Airbnb Greece – Initial CoS Ruling Deems Tax Circular Unlawful
The case reached the Council of State following annulment applications filed by the Panhellenic Federation of Property Owners (POMIDA)
Mitsotakis Unveils €1 Billion Plan for Housing, Pensioners, Public investments
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced a new set of economic support measures, worth 1 billion euros, aiming to provide financial relief to citizens.
![Accor: Η βιωσιμότητα «κλειδί» για την ανάπτυξη και ανθεκτικότητα του ελληνικού τουρισμού [έρευνα]](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/thumbnail-90x90.jpg)
![Accor: Η βιωσιμότητα «κλειδί» για την ανάπτυξη και ανθεκτικότητα του ελληνικού τουρισμού [έρευνα]](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/thumbnail-600x400.jpg)
