Increase In Number Of British Tourists To Greece

Tourist arrivals from the UK rose by 7 percent this year belying an initial projection of a 4 to 5 percent increase, the Hellenic Tourism Organization announced last month.

The figures were compiled from reservations made by UK tourists in the May 2000-August 2001 period for this summer.

Compared with 1996, this year’s incoming tourists marked a massive 73-percent jump. Greece also managed to boost its share of the UK market to 18.5 percent this year at the expense of Spain. Five years ago, it held a 12.3-percent market share, the tourist body said.

UK tourist agencies are optimistic that the trend will continue in the years ahead, with a forecast of more than 3 million tourists visiting Greece, said our tourism organization. Chalkidiki came in third place, with a 15-percent rise.