Greece: 22.5 Million International Tourist Arrivals By End Of Year – Report

Greece is expected to record some 22.5 million foreign tourist arrivals (including cruise passengers) this year, compared to 19.9 million visitors in 2013, according to a recent report released by Alpha Bank.

The report indicates the continuing improvement of Greece’s tourism figures this year in accordance with data from the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) that reveal a nine percent increase in the tourist flow in the country’s main international airports (with direct air flights from abroad) during the first nine months of 2014.

During the January-September 2014 period, international air arrivals were up by 14.3 percent year on year, compared with 9.9 percent during the same period in 2013, the report showed.

The largest increase in international arrivals were recorded at the airports of the Peloponnese (34.8 percent), Cyclades (31.1 percent), Athens (28.3 percent), Thessaloniki (15,4 percent), Ionian (14.3 percent), Crete (6.4 percent) and Dodecanese (eight percent).

Tourism investment

Atalanti Hills project in Atalanta. Photo: Lokros

The Alpha Bank report also estimated that Greek tourism investments would reach five billion euros, as a result of construction of luxury holiday resorts, such as: Atalanti Hills in Atalanta, Iliad Resort in Ithaca, Kilada Hills in Ermioni, Itanos Gaia in Sitia, Crete, and other smaller investments.

These investments are expected to further strengthen the country’s tourism sector from 2015 onwards so that Greece will achieve higher growth rates in the number of tourists.