Tourism

Greece is hoping for a new tourism record this year, with arrivals likely to exceed 20 million, in a new sign that the country is winning back foreigners as the economy gets back on its feet.

After a poor season in 2012 – a year marked by back-to-back elections, political instability, and anti-austerity protests – the tourism industry seems finally to be getting its swagger back.

The 62 people who were detained during demonstrations to mark the anniversary of the Gezi Park protests were sent to testify at court on June 2.

The protesters, who were detained and taken to the Vatan Police Department in Istanbul on May 31, were taken to Çağlayan Courthouse to testify.

By Stathis Kousounis

Greece is among the main emerging destinations for Chinese tourists, the latest report by Union Pay International has found, including this country among those with an annual growth rate of about 200 percent in arrivals from the Asian nation in the last three years.

Istanbul is on alert ahead of the first anniversary of the massive Gezi protests May 31 as calls were made for street action in the flashpoint area of Taksim Square, which was the heart of last year’s demonstrations.

In its latest measure, the Istanbul police have canceled all holidays and increased the shifts of police officers to 12 hours until a second order.

 Arrivals from abroad to add up to a record 21.2 million in 2014 including cruise passengers, SETE estimates

By Stathis Kousounis

Foreign tourists visiting Greece this year are expected to add up to a record 21.2 million, including cruise visitors, Andreas Andreadis, the president of the Association of Hellenic Tourism Enterprises (SETE), said on Wednesday.

The number of tourists to Turkey is expected to rise to a record high of 43 million this year, with a moderate increase in tourism income also projected, according to Başaran Ulusoy, the chairman of the Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TÜRSAB).

 Tourism bookings are up from all main markets, with the exception of Russia, whose numbers have dropped

By Stathios Kousounis

Greek tourism is breaking records left, right and center this year as arrivals from abroad are much higher than at rival destinations.

A Turkish court ordered the arrest of 47 suspects in the Gezi Park case on May 27, while the pioneers of last year’s protest called for a May 31 rally in Taksim to mark the anniversary of Turkey’s largest-ever civil uprising.

In April the Bulgarians' travels increased moderately by 4.6%, compared to April 2013, shows the data of the National Statistics Institute (NSI).

For comparison, in the entire Q1 2014, they increased by 25%, year-on-year. 

BELGRADE - Taleb Rifai, secretary general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), has called on tourists to continue to visit destinations and establishments still in operation in Serbia, Bosnia-Herzegovina (BiH) and Croatia as this can help to speed up rebuilding efforts.