SETE’s Facts And Figures On Greek Tourism

“Our statistical data on Greek tourism clearly shows that the country’s tourism is entering a new state of recession of unknown duration,” General Manager of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) George Drakopoulos said.

SETE recently released statistics on Greek tourism for 2009 in an edition entitled “Greek Tourism: Facts & Figures.”

“I would like to note that the provision of comprehensive statistics for Greek tourism should be presented by the government and not by the private sector,” Mr. Drakopoulos told GTP.

According to the statistics released by SETE, Greek tourism fell in 2009 -a year marked by the global financial crisis- with international tourism revenue limited to 10.4 billion euros (-10.6 percent compared with 2008) and international tourist arrivals to 14.9 million (-6.4 percent compared with 2008).

In 2009 Greek tourism’s contribution to the country’s GDP dropped to 15.2 percent from 18.5 percent in 2008, according to data provided by the UNWTO and the World Economic Forum.

Greece’s percentage in the European Market share reached 3.2 percent and in the World Market Share reached 1.7 percent.

Hellenic Statistical Authority and UNWTO data showed that international tourist arrivals in 2009 against 2008 figures saw Greece with 15 million arrivals (-0,9 percent), Spain with 52 million arrivals (-8,7 percent), Cyprus with two million arrivals (-10, 9 percent) and Croatia with nine million arrivals (–0,9 percent). Turkey presented a two percent increase in international tourist arrivals (26 million arrivals).

The market share of Greece’s two key markets, Germany and the United Kingdom, dropped last year to 15.9 percent and 14.2 percent respectively (equivalent to 2.364 million and 2.112 million arrivals respectively) compared with 19.4 percent and 22.4 percent in 2000 (2.395 million and 2.772 million arrivals).

However, positive news for Greece came from other markets such as France with a market share of 6.5 percent in 2009 (962.435 arrivals) from 4.9 percent in 2000, Italy with 6.3 percent from 6.7 percent and the Netherlands with 4.4 percent from 5.3 percent.

As for 2010, according to initial figures of the Civil Aviation Authority released by SETE, foreign arrivals during the January-June 2010 period were reduced by 3.26 percent and only in June arrivals dropped 3.91 percent.

According to the data, during the first six months of this year, Greek airports welcomed 129,907 less foreign arrivals than last year.

“We have a picture of the first six months of 2010 so basically our conclusion from the 2009 data has been confirmed,” George Drakopoulos told GTP.

Greece & Competitors – Position in the World Ranking, 2009

Source: SETE, Based on data provided by the UNWTO and the World Economic Forum.