ECONOMY

Arrivals at local airports soar 18.4 pct

The number of foreign tourists arriving at the country’s main airports posted an impressive increase of 18.4 percent in May, according to data collected by the Association of Hellenic Tourism Enterprises (SETE), reflecting Greece’s growing popularity as a holiday destination this year.

Arrivals in May reached 1.43 million, up by about 222,600 from the same month last year. There was an increase recorded in 16 out of the 17 airports where the numbers of international arrivals are monitored. Notably, arrivals at the Athens International Airport posted a 10 percent yearly rise, making May 2013 the first month of growth since July 2011.

Myconos posted an increase of 117.5 percent, while Samos was the only airport to post a drop.

In total in the first five months of the year the increase amounts to 6 percent compared with the same period in 2012.

May 2012 had been an election month producing a hung parliament.

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