Domestic Tourism May Tumble This Year

The number of Greeks going on holiday at home this year may see a 20 percent drop compared to the year before that will affect tourism revenue at a rate of three to four percent, according to recent statements made to the press by the Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers last month.

In early 2010, domestic tourism fell some 5.3 percent and recorded a decline of 12.8 percent in the summer season and dropped by 11.3 percent in the September-December period.

According to reports, taking under consideration the negative development on the domestic tourism front, professionals believe that the Greek participation in the social tourism programs of the Workers House Organization and the Greek National Tourism Organisation will indicate the level of performance of domestic tourism and the amount of revenue this year.

On the other hand, according to the federation, incoming tourism to Greece seems to be looking at a recovery as the number of foreign tourists is seen to be increasing by 10 percent compared with last year.

Press reports noted that bookings from Russia were up some 20 percent, the UK by 12 percent and Germany by eight percent.

In regards to Greece’s gain from the political unrest in the countries of North Africa, the federation said growth was small until April as most hotel units were not open yet within the region. Spain, Turkey and Cyprus collected the most benefits from the North Africa situation, press reports said.

The federation forecasted that Greek tourism would gain from the latest developments in Japan, as “at present it appears that European tourists choose their vacation destinations within the E.U.”

However, a spokesperson for the United Nations World Tourism Organization told the international press in late March “southern Europe should not expect this diversion in tourism to last long.

“Travelers are already returning to Egypt and Tunisia,” the organization said and underlined that international tourism in the Middle East is expected to increase by at least seven percent.