Greek Tourism Minister: Τourism revenues are expected to exceed those of 2019

“More than 1,000,000 visitors from abroad are expected in Greece every week,” says the Greek Tourism Minister, Mr Vassilis Kikilias, stressing that “revenues from tourism and tourist arrivals in August will exceed the levels of the previous years.”

“The incomes will be calculated at the end of the tourist season, however, tourism revenues are expected to exceed those of 2019,” he underlines, noting that this growth of the tourism product feeds hundreds of professions and supports the average Greek family.

Robust growth

Mr Kikilias, in an interview with the journal Proto Thema, gives important data that illustrate the robust growth in tourism, especially from major tourism markets. The data concerning the top two markets of inbound tourism, Germany and Britain, in July 2022, are moving above the data of July 2019 in many destinations such as Rhodes, where Germans are +24.6% and Brits +21%, and Chania with German visitors at +78.3% and Brits at +43.2%.

At the same time, at Eleftherios Venizelos, in July 2022, compared to July 2019, we had 29% more arrivals from Germany, 15% more from France, 19% from Israel, 257% from Serbia and 177% from Turkey.

The pensioners from Northern Europe

Regarding the attraction of Northern European retirees to help extend the tourist season, the Greek tourism minister speaks of a “coordinated effort by all tourism bodies”, announcing a targeted campaign and a series of contacts with major international tourism players in Germany, Austria, France and Sweden.

Finally, on domestic tourism, he stresses that “with the decision of the Greek Prime Minister, Mr Kyriakos Mitsotakis, we doubled the amount and the number of beneficiaries of “Tourism for All” to 400,000, giving a total of more than 100 million euros for 3 programs in another practical support for the average Greek family, professionals and workers in the tourism sector, making the process much easier for beneficiaries, hotels and accommodation, as well”. “In this way, we are also strengthening our efforts to extend the tourist season, to stimulate winter tourism, city break, and year-round tourism,” adds Mr Kikilias.