Thessaloniki Airport

January posted a great increase in the number of tourists, but also in the money they spent during their stay in Greece, in what is usually a quiet month for tourism.

According to Bank of Greece data, the annual increase in receipts was 27% and visitors 16% - much higher than the already strong trend of 2023 but also the positive forecasts for 2024 (+10% in arrivals).

Flights abroad for the long weekends of Clean Monday and Independence Day on March 25 are showing increased occupancy rates of over 75%.

For those departing this weekend from Athens, the most popular destinations are Oslo, Bologna, Geneva, Amsterdam and Lisbon, while those departing from Thessaloniki mainly travel to Frankfurt, Berlin, Larnaca, Munich and Dusseldorf.

Aegean Airlines has secured another slot at London's Heathrow airport and is adding to its schedule a fourth daily flight from Athens to the UK's busiest international hub, it said on Tuesday.

The new flight will operate every day throughout the year except on Saturdays, leaving Athens at 4 p.m. local time and London/Heathrow at 7 p.m. local time.

Two commercial aircraft were forced to land at Makedonia Airport in Thessaloniki in northern Greece on Thursday. 

The first incident occurred at 2.50 p.m, when an aircraft of the Israeli airline El Al, operating the Prague-Tel Aviv route, had to land due to a passenger disturbing the crew.

The year has started with the best of prospects as regards arrivals from Ireland, after a strong increase (+33%) of air arrivals from Dublin in the first nine months of 2023, versus the same period in 2022.

Greek and foreign airlines are investing even more this year in the strong prospects of Greek tourism, as well as of Athens International Airport.

Greek travelers are turning to European destinations off the usual list but more affordable, as shown by the air booking data for the upcoming national holiday on October 28.

Aegean Airlines has increased its number of available seats by between 18% and 20% on the international and domestic networks.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has inaugurated the new terminal building and runway of Turkish Cyprus' Ercan Airport, dubbed the airport with the largest passenger capacity on the island.

Two Russian nationals were arrested and charged in Thessaloniki early Sunday morning for disrupting the safety of a flight from Manchester, England to Dalaman, Turkey, after their plane was forced to land at Thessaloniki's international airport. 

Greek tourism is heading for a new record for travel receipts this year despite the decline in the growth rate of bookings from Germany for holidays in Greece in the third quarter. Last year, travel receipts reached 17.7 billion euros, while the record belongs to 2019, with €18.2 billion. The challenge for this year is to exceed €18.5 billion.