Industry Reports & Trends

The Greek tourism market is forecast to show further marked falls of 20 percent year-on-year in occupancy rates from the first quarter of 2009, according to official data from a recent market research report of companiesandmarkets.com.

Athens taxis were voted the filthiest in the world, according to a survey conducted by hotels.com website.

Amadeus, a global leader in technology and distribution solutions for the travel and tourism industry, announced its annual business results for 2008 in June.

International arrivals to Greece were reduced close to 10 percent in the first six months of the year compared with the same period of 2008, according to the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises.

Greek tourist traffic is expected to decline between 5.41 and 13.01 percent this season, depending on the price of oil, says research group Academy of Tourism Research and Studies (ATEM). However, the group noted that if the oil price remains at $58 per barrel a 10.07 reduction of arrivals is the most likely scenario for 2009.

The revenue of Athens-Attica hotels fell some 20 percent from last year’s January-May period as a result of a 16.6 percent drop in the average hotel occupancy rate and 5.1 percent in the average price per room, according to the latest study of GBR Consulting.

Last year 870 major hotel enterprises produced losses that reached some 79 million euros against profits of 61 million euros in 2007, according to a survey conducted by Stat Bank.

The Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises recently clarified the confusion created on the use of the terms “tourism revenue” and “turnover index for tourism.”

Rodos appeared to be almost unaffected by the global economic crisis as marine tourism for the month of June showed an increase of 16.67 percent over the same period in 2008, according to official figures from the security office of the island’s port.

A 0.31 percent increase in overnight stays was recorded in 2008, according to the National Statistical Service of Greece. The overnights involve accommodation of all kinds (hotels and camp sites).