Greek Tourism on Track to Reach and Even Surpass 2019 Levels, Says SETE

SETE’s Maria Gatsou, general manager; Yiannis Paraschis, president; and Alexandros Thanos, executive director.

The Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) on Wednesday appeared optimistic about the course of Greek tourism this year and stated that the record figures of 2019 may even be surpassed.

Speaking to journalists during a media briefing, SETE President Yiannis Paraschis said that tourism continued to recover this year at a strong pace during January-April in terms of arrivals compared to the first four months of 2022, when travel restrictions were still in place.

According to data from INSETE, Greece saw an impressive 9 percent increase in arrivals during the first four months of the year compared to the same period in 2019.

Commenting that the rise may not be the same in all destinations as some seem to be doing better and others are falling behind, he said: “Some destinations may have recorded weak performances in April or May, but it should be taken into account that after the return to normality, middle-class citizens are now traveling and not just the those with high income, as was the case mainly during the pandemic,” he said, reminding that 2023 is “a normal year” and competition has returned.

Staying on the subject of the drop in arrivals recorded at some destinations – such as Mykonos – he noted that value for money always plays a role in markets.

Moreover, SETE’s president said that the slowdown in arrivals at some destinations does not seem to affect Greek tourism’s performance as a whole. According to current data, an increase of 5.6 percent of scheduled airline seats has been recorded for the coming months.

All in all, Paraschis said that he expects 2023 to be “a good year” for Greek tourism.

SETE’s Yiannis Paraschis, president and Alexandros Thanos, executive director.

Holding his first media briefing since he became president, Paraschis commented on various issues regarding this year’s season.

Referring to the high prices of ferry tickets to Greek islands he said that SETE believes in healthy competition and always aims to make the tourism product as affordable as possible.

“Personally, I believe that tourism is a highly democratic industry… Greece offers a great selection of products and destinations… Therefore, there is tourism for everyone, regardless of their income,” he said.

When asked about the issue of short-term rentals, Paraschis referred to “a new reality” and that the specific market “is now an integral part” of the Greek tourism product.

“Our firm position is that the short-term rental market should be regulated,” he said, adding that the issue is high on the agenda of issues that SETE has brought to the table of discussions with the new government.

However, he commented that any measures to be taken towards the regulation of the market are in the hands of the authorities.

“There is currently no timetable for when the short-term rental market will be regulated,” he said.

During the media briefing, Paraschis also referred to the five strategic priorities of the confederation for the coming years: attracting tourism investments, improving tourism infrastructure, managing destinations, attracting more staff to the sector and ensuring a sustainable tourism industry.

It is reminded that Yiannis Paraschis is also the Chief Executive Officer of the Athens International Airport (AIA).