Greece Expects 2023 to Break Tourism Records

“The Greek tourism product and the climate crisis” panel at the “I Ellada Meta VII” conference in Athens. Pictured are Greek journalist, Thodoris Georgakopoulos (moderator) with Yiannis Retsos, former SETE President and CEO of Electra Hotels & Resorts; and George Vernikos, SETE General Secretary and INSETE President. Andreas Andreadis, former SETE President and CEO of Sani/Ikos Group joined the discussion through a video call (left). Photo source: Kyklos Ideon

Greek tourism experts are forecasting that 2023 will end in record tourist arrivals and revenues paving the way for an even stronger year in 2024.

According to two former Greek Tourism Confederation’s (SETE) presidents – Yiannis Retsos and Andreas Andreadis – tourism revenues this year are set to exceed 20 billion euros up from 18.2 billion euros in pre-Covid 2019.

The estimates are also backed by feedback collected at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London this week with Greek tourism officials and stakeholders adding that the dynamic will continue into 2024.

Addressing the “I Ellada Meta VII”(Greece After VII) conference held by think tank Kyklos Ideon (Circle of Ideas), Retsos said that despite the Israel-Hamas war which has impacted rival destinations such as Egypt and Turkey, “Greece is still a safe destination”.

Yiannis Retsos, former SETE President and CEO of Electra Hotels & Resorts. Photo source: Kyklos Ideon

Other key challenges for the Greek tourism industry cited include climate change, which Andreadis described as being “complex, enormous and constantly changing”.

Both former SETE presidents referred to the terrible fires and floods last summer which they said impacted thousands of small and medium-sized tourism enterprises across Greece.

Andreas Andreadis, former SETE President and CEO of Sani/Ikos Group, speaking via video call. Photo source: Kyklos Ideon

They both underlined the need for radical measures both on a local and EU level. An urgent priority is to swiftly implement infrastructure upgrades that will remain resilient in times of natural disasters and to ensure that the tourism industry adapts to this new reality.

A solution in this direction is extending the tourism season. Lastly, participants agreed that Greece’s tourism sector had managed to remain resilient in times of shock, including during the country’s debt crisis, the Covid-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and climate change.