Leisure

Greece's tourism sector is expected to have a significant impact on the recovery of the country's economy and on reducing the external trade deficit, according to analysts at Alpha Bank.

Visitors from France and Germany have spearheaded the rise in tourism revenue in the first six months of the year.

Revenue from French tourists rose by 17.3 percent compared to the same period last year, while income from German visitors grew 15.4 percent.

The twin-engine bomber lay undisturbed in the depths off Icaria in the eastern Aegean for 72 years until a team of divers discovered the old fighter plane on the seabed, 18 meters beneath the waves.

If no "negative developments" occur, the Mediterranean resort of Antalya will likely close this year with more than 10 million local and foreign tourists, Antalya Governor Münir Karaloğlu told state-run Anadolu Agency on Aug. 23. 

Although 2016 was a very tough year for Antalya's tourism, this year has seen an uptick in figures, Karaloğlu said.

In the second quarter of 2017, 1 149.8 thousand Bulgarian residents made tourist trips, according to the National Statistical Institute (NSI)

Greece is missing out on revenues from business tourism as it lags behind its European peers in developing this market, according to the Association of Professional Greek Conference Organizers.

Greece is among the top 20 travel destinations for German tourists, according to fvw tourism magazine. The data showed an 11.7% rise in arrivals to Greece in 2017 compared to 2016, placing Greece in the 8th spot in the preferences of the Germans, having attracted 3.14 million people. Austria, France and Spain were in the top 3 spots.

Tourist arrivals in Cyprus set a record in July, according the country's statistical service.

Passenger Survey figures reveal that tourist arrivals reached 531,030 in July 2017, compared to 482,132 in July 2016 - an increase of 10.1 percent.

"July 2017 had the highest volume of tourist arrivals ever recorded in Cyprus during that month," the service said in an announcement.

The Bulgarian government has approved a draft agreement on cooperation in the sphere of tourism between the respective ministries of Bulgaria and of Egypt, reported Dnes.bg.

The majority of new enterprises that launched in the first seven months of 2017 are tourism-related, according to the latest official data listed in the country's General Electronic Commercial Register.