Tourism

The course of GDP and private consumption in the main Greek tourism source markets is expected in 2024 to fluctuate at the same levels as in 2023.

At the same time, the prices of energy products, transport costs and inflation in general are expected to follow a downward course, while the euro will fluctuate at competitive levels in relation to the main international currencies.

Proposed changes to Turkish travel laws ignite a debate as tourist guides claim that removing foreign language proficiency requirements for guides will compromise professional standards and service quality in the tourism sector.

The islands of Mykonos and Santorini, historically the flagships of Greek tourism, are now paying the price for their overexploitation, without the upgrading of their key infrastructures, in order to manage the large number of visitors.

As the new year begins, the tourism industry is gearing up, and the messages for the upcoming summer season are exceptionally encouraging.

In December 2023, travel to and from Bulgaria increased compared to the same month in the previous year, according to data from the National Statistical Institute. The number trips of Bulgarians abroad for this month has reached 649.1 thousand, increasing by 7.3% compared to December 2022.

Athens has always belonged to its cars - not its pedestrians. After the Covid-19 pandemic, however, when the "temporary" expansion of tables and seats was allowed on sidewalks to support cafes and restaurants, the city has become literally impassable. 

The travel organizing platform eSky.bg announced that Italy is the most preferred destination among Bulgarians for 2023. Nearly half of the travelers (44%) for a period of 2-3 days have chosen Italy for their vacation, with Rome, Milan, Venice, Bari, Bologna, Catania, and Naples being the most preferred destinations.

The current market estimate for travel receipts in 2023 is 20.5 billion euros following the publication of Bank of Greece data for the first 11 months of last year. 

That is an increase in foreign tourism revenues of more than 10% compared to the last record year, 2019. It is recalled that in 2019 the receipts from abroad for Greek tourism had amounted to €18.2 billion.

Greece saw a surge in tourist arrivals, reaching 32 million visitors from January to November 2023, according to data from the Bank of Greece released on Monday. 

The inbound travel movement surged by 17.3%, totaling 31.97 million travelers compared to 27.25 million in 2022. This surge resulted in a 15.4% rise in travel receipts, reaching €20.1 billion. 

The European Travel Commission's (ETC) annual Market Intelligence Group (MIG) and Marketing Group conference is to take place in Athens for the first time on February 7-9, following an initiative of the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO).