Industry Reports & Trends

Foreign visitors leave some 100 million euros in tips every year to employees working in Greek hotels, restaurants and other services in the tourism sector, according to a new survey carried out by travel website Tripadvisor.

“With the current pace and mix of company creation, it will take Greece 25 years to create the jobs needed,” a recent study by Endeavor Greece said.

The Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises recently said that the country’s domestic tourism market seems to be recovering for the first time in five years.

This year’s tourism season in Greece is expected to mark a new record in terms of foreign tourist arrivals and revenue.

Seventy-five percent of Greeks will skip their summer vacation this year and stay home, according to the annual nationwide survey conducted by the General Consumer Federation of Greece (INKA).

Greece’s travel balance showed a surplus of 252 million euros during the first quarter of 2014, compared with a surplus of 194 million euros in the corresponding period of 2013, according to temporary data by the Bank of Greece.

A study on the travel tendencies in Europe showed that an estimated 72 percent of the Greeks plan to vacation in a destination of their own country this year.

Although Greece is among the favorite holiday destinations of Scandinavian travelers, the country must step up efforts to improve its attractiveness and discard any negative impressions from its image, a new survey has revealed.

The cruise industry continues to play its part in helping Europe’s economy emerge from the economic downturn by delivering another strong year of growth in 2013.

Greece has maintained its ranking as the third most popular destination in Europe, with 4.6 million passenger visits in 2013, according to figures released on 16 June by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) Europe.