January visitors beat forecasts
January posted a great increase in the number of tourists, but also in the money they spent during their stay in Greece, in what is usually a quiet month for tourism.
According to Bank of Greece data, the annual increase in receipts was 27% and visitors 16% – much higher than the already strong trend of 2023 but also the positive forecasts for 2024 (+10% in arrivals).
Inbound visitor traffic to Greece in January, according to the central bank, amounted to 737,300 travelers, with road arrivals soaring 24.8%. Travel receipts grew to 278.3 million euros, up 27.1% from January 2023.
Such facts impress even the most optimistic observers, especially since a closer look at the data reveals a significant increase in foreigners visiting Thessaloniki, large growth in road arrivals, especially from Turkey, and an explosive 260% increase in US travelers over the year’s first month.
Notably, the large five-star hotels in Athens that Kathimerini has contacted say they have not seen such an increase in their occupancy rates that corresponds to this rise in tourism; on the contrary, they are at similar levels to last year, which means most of the additional visitors must have stayed in short-term rentals.
