Explosive demand for the islands of the Argosaronic Gulf from the excursionists of the Holy Spirit weekend this year compared to last year, show the data of the Ministry of Shipping on the departures and the number of tickets issued by the ferry companies in the three major ports of Attica.
Contrary to the auguries, which spoke of an “unprecedented escape”, the data for the three-day Friday, June 2, Saturday, June 3 and Sunday, June 4 this year compared to those of the period 10-12/6 of 2022 (Friday-Sunday of the Holy Spirit last year) show a slight drop in the total number of departing passengers, the three days before Holy Spirit Monday, from Piraeus, Rafina, Lavrio.
According to the Ministry of Shipping, 98,433 passengers departed this year compared to 99,937 passengers last year on the three-day Friday, Saturday, Sunday, before Holy Spirit Monday.
However, a significant increase in the number of passengers to the Argosaronic islands and a corresponding decrease in the number of travelers to the islands of the Aegean Sea (Cyclades, Crete, Dodecanese, North Aegean) are recorded.
As short shipping circles estimate, residents from Athens and environs preferred closer destinations that are also less expensive in terms of transportation.
In particular, this year between June 2-6, 2023, a total of 30,555 passengers left the ports of Piraeus for the Argosaronic islands, of which 8,648 on Friday, 12,561 on Saturday and 9,346 on Sunday.
Last year, three days before Holy Spirit Monday, they left Piraeus for Aegina, Poros, Hydra, Spetses, etc. a total of 21,535 passengers, of which 6,010 on June 10, 9,915 on the 11th of the same month and 5,610 on Sunday, June 12.
The increase this year compared to last year in the number of passengers reached 41.88%.
Conversely, on the lines to the Aegean islands, there was a drop in passenger traffic both from the port of Piraeus and the other two ports (Rafina and Lavrio). In particular, a total of 37,128 passengers on 52 routes departed from Piraeus on the three-day Friday-Saturday-Sunday (June 2-6). Last year in the corresponding period (10-12/6) 47,271 passengers departed from the port of Piraeus, with 58 routes. In other words, a drop of 21.45% was noted this year!
Accordingly, 21,889 passengers were transported from the port of Rafina in the same period this year with 42 routes compared to last year 22,596 passengers with 49 routes. 8,861 passengers departed from the port of Lavrio this year compared to 8,535 last year.
The drop in the number of passengers from Piraeus and Rafina is attributed both to the three days of the Holy Spirit being earlier this year, and to the fact that the unsettled weather did not create demand for sea bathing. The cost of tickets also played a role, which, however, did not increase this year, but also the general economic situation of households.
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