Destinations

Athens is ready to host some 4.5 million visitors this year and the Guardian is describing the rising tourism numbers as a “miracle”, adding that much of the upsurge is linked to Greece’s safety record.

Fifty-two of Greece’s 430 beaches awarded for their quality are located in the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece, the Halkidiki Tourism Organization (HTO) said recently, demonstrating the region’s commitment to “responsible tourism”.

Athens’ global ranking as a business event destination of choice has gone up three places on the ICCA rankings list, moving the Greek capital city from 27th position in 2014 to 24th position in 2015.

Considered one of the most well preserved coasts in Greece, and home to the endangered loggerhead sea turtle, the Kyparissia Gulf in the western Peloponnese, has come into the spotlight after a recent government decision which toughens restrictions for the use of the shoreline.

The Peloponnese in Greece is the number one European destination that travellers need to see in 2016, according to Lonely Planet’s ‘Best in Europe’ top 10 list.

Under the title “Empty Beaches, Sleepy Villages and Quiet Tavernas” the London Times featured this month the tiny Halkidiki island of Ammouliani for its white sand, spectacular view, warm hospitality and great food.

Shipwrecks, diving and marine history will be the focus of an international conference to take place on the Cycladic island of Kea on September 30-October 2.

Thessaloniki’s hoteliers are sending signals of distress over plans by the government to increase taxes or introduce new levies on areas affecting the hospitality sector, saying this will inevitably lead to unsustainable fiscal burdens.

Summer in Greece has taken off at full speed and the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) is doing everything to bring in more visitors with a series of initiatives including fam and press trips as well as on-the-spot filming of Greek destinations.

The challenges of the hospitality sector took center stage during a meeting of the Corfu Hotels Association on Tuesday, which also revealed the findings of a recent Institute for Tourism Research and Forecasts (ITEP) report for the Ionian Islands.