Temporarily, the Greek cruise market and in particular some Greek islands have benefited from the tragic events in Israel according to estimates from industry players. The Greek islands will benefit, estimates the President of the Union of Cruise Ship Owners and Shipping Agencies (EEKFN) Giorgos Koumbenas, while the honorary president of the Union, Theodoros Kontes, expresses the same assessment.
So according to Mr. Conte, the initial forecasts for 2023 for a total of 4800 approaches and 5.06 million passenger arrivals to be revised to 4940 arrivals and 5.24 million passenger arrivals, coming even closer to the record year 2019 with 5.55 million.
Question mark
But what will happen in 2024 remains a question mark as bookings for next year’s cruises are taking place at this time. As estimated, if the situation is not normalized soon, in 2024 the cruise throughout the Eastern Mediterranean and Greece will be negatively affected as many companies will choose not to launch ships in the region as reported by the same factors.
Cruise connection between Burgas and Kavala
Mr. Giorgos Koumbenas, president of the Union of Cruise Ship Owners and Shipping Agencies, speaking to ot.gr noted that for this year and until the end of the season, the companies will cancel the itineraries to Israel and will add destinations to Greek islands and Turkey . However, for next year the development will be negative as many companies are expected to decide to de-route their ships from the Eastern Mediterranean since hardly anyone will now “buy” a cruise to Israel or even Egypt.
Cancellations and destinations
The cancellations of approaches favor the nearest Greek islands, but also Piraeus and partially Cyprus, Mr. Kontes points out.
The destinations, according to Mr. Conte, that will accept the additional approaches are the Dodecanese and the rest of the Aegean islands, with Rhodes mainly receiving the most applications. Also, Santorini, Mykonos and Heraklion as main destinations, but also Piraeus, which in some cases is used as a homeport replacing Haifa. Already, the companies Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, MSC, Oceania, TUI, Celestyal and others, have announced the change of the ports of Haifa and Ashdod with some of their cruise ships, in addition to the Greek islands, taking advantage of distances to the Turkish coast approaching Marmaris, Bodrum, etc.
This fact is temporarily positive for the current period and satisfies Greek destinations. However, everything will depend on the duration and extent of the unrest in the war-torn region as most companies are re-evaluating and re-scheduling future cruise destinations and perhaps overhauling their Eastern Mediterranean ports to include some Greek destinations for the year 2024, with the corresponding negative results as has happened in the past with the same region, he added.
στο Google News και μάθετε πρώτοι όλες τις ειδήσειςLatest News
Eurostat: Women and Youth Most Underpaid in Greece
In the EU 18.2% of women are low-paid compared to men, against 23% in Greece. A staggering 43% of young Greeks are low-paid—the second-worst rate in Europe.
Public Services in Greece to Go Under Review with New Rating Tool
Public services will receive their evaluation scores and feedback directly, fostering a system of accountability and continuous improvement.
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
![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)
![Οι αλλαγές που υπάρχουν στα φορολογικά έντυπα για τα εισοδήματα του φορολογικού έτους 2024 από ακίνητα [Γ’ Μέρος]](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/akinita-600x400.jpeg)
