Gift shop revenues soar
The good tourist season this year is reflected in the revenue from the sales of the shops at Greece’s major archaeological sites, which compete with – and sometimes exceed – those of 2019.
The most popular items bringing in the most money appear to be small, budget-friendly mementos, such as refrigerator magnets, which were not available at the Ministry of Culture shops in 2019.
These new items have been created as part of the new “Hellenic Heritage” initiative by the Hellenic Organization of Cultural Resources Development.
A total of 140 magnet designs have been created for 50 archeological sites. While this may not seem like an incredible or new idea, a total of 40.000 pieces have been sold this year, bringing in 69,500 euros in revenue. Other popular items among tourists are products for children, and stationery, which have brought in 91,500 euros and 37.000 respectively.
The highest revenue for the month of July was recorded at the shop of the archaeological site of Knossos, on Crete, where for that month alone, it brought in 61,500 euros. In 2019, comparatively, their sales came to 50,000.
