October data point to total of 17.5 mln yearly arrivals
The impressive course of Greek tourism this year is continuing this month as well, as receipts from the some 1.5 million visitors to the country will range around 800 million euros, according to estimates.
As a result, the Association of Hellenic Tourism Enterprises (SETE) anticipates that the total number of foreign tourism arrivals for 2013 will exceed expectations to reach 17.5 million, one of the best-ever records, while receipts will reach up to 11.5 billion euros.
Hotels in popular destinations such as Crete and Rhodes have maintained a high occupancy rate this month, assisted by the continuing crisis in Egypt. Willi Verhuven, owner of Alltours, the fifth biggest tour operator in Germany, said his company’s growth was led by the 26 percent increase in bookings to Greece this year, followed by a 17 percent rise for Bulgaria, against a 75 drop in bookings for Egypt.
Prospects for next year are even better, the head of leading tour operator Tui, Peter Long, said, estimating an increase by 300,000 of visitors to Greece for 2014.
