Greece Sets Higher Tourism Revenue Target for 2023

Photo source: Greek Travel Pages.

The Greek Tourism Ministry is aiming for higher tourism-related revenues in 2023 on the back of a successful 2022 and in view of new agreements with airlines, said Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias this week.

“The goal we’ve set is to exceed last year’s travel revenue by 10 percent in 2023,” said Kikilias in interviews to local media. In this direction, he said the ministry was entering agreements with airlines from Saudi Arabia while reaching out to the Indian and South Korean markets.

Kikilias said the “rebranding” of Greece as a safe destination, a result of the successful management of the pandemic, had contributed to the extension of the tourist season with more visitors arriving in winter and early spring.

Travelers from long-haul markets are already coming to Greece

Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias welcoming the relaunch of Air Canada’s flights to Greece for the 2023 season.

“The tourist season has been extended beyond the three months of summer. From the beginning of March, Americans, Canadians, Australians, Chinese – we didn’t have them last year – and all the Europeans of course, Israelis, and travelers from the Middle East started arriving on direct flights and this will continue until the end of the year,” said Kikilias adding that Greece now has an “ongoing tourism product“.

“Travel destinations are constantly full,” he said, “supporting small and medium-sized businesses and the Greek family”.

Among others, efforts are also being made to promote lesser known destinations with the goal to strengthen local communities. Indicatively, said Kikilias, occupancy rates in many areas such as Aegina, Limnos, Nafpaktos, and Symi last year achieved levels they had never reached before.

Lastly, Kikilias said the ministry’s “Tourism for All” program, which covers the cost of holidays for lower income Greeks, will continue until 2025 as part of efforts to boost domestic tourism.