Tourism hits 8-month record
Revenues in January-August exceed the all-time high recorded four years ago by some 11%
The expansion of the tourism season in Greece in September and October – and, according to the available data, also in November and December – is giving a very important boost to employment and the economy in general.
Greek tourism is achieving new historical records and increased occupancy rates in all hotels that remain open in October and November, but also in the majority of 12-month operating hotels.
The trend is no longer spearheaded by seasonal summer destinations – which in any case also saw historic performances this year – but by the capital and the wider region of Attica, as well as Thessaloniki.
Receipts from tourism throughout this year are expected to exceed 20 billion euros, breaking the record of €18.2 billion in the last year before the pandemic, i.e. in 2019.
According to Bank of Greece data released on Friday, the arrivals of non-resident travelers during this year’s first eight months (January-August) increased by 18.4% from last year, while travel receipts amounted to €14.66 billion, increased by 15.3% compared to the corresponding period of 2022 and by 10.89% from the eight months of 2019, when they had come to €13.22 billion.
In August alone, the growth rate compared to four years earlier was smaller, amounting to 6%. The central bank’s figures showed revenues in August amounted to €4.31 billion, against €4.1 billion in 2019.
The extension of the tourism season is also behind the fact that the number of registered unemployed in September dropped compared to August, according to data from the Public Employment Service, as companies active in sectors related to hospitality hardly made any layoffs, while private schools proceeded with the usual recruitment of primary and secondary education teachers.
These highly encouraging figures support the view now prevailing in the Economy and Finance Ministry that unemployment will fall further in the coming months.
