Tourism targets rise ever higher

By Stathis Kousounis

The latest data have allowed the Hellenic Association of Tourism Enterprises (SETE) to raise its target for tourism arrivals and revenues this year higher still.

During a meeting with main opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras on Monday, SETE representatives stated that arrivals in Greece, including cruise passengers, will reach up to 21.5 million this year, while direct revenues will come to 13.5 billion euros. SETE also estimated that tourism growth has led to the creation of as many as 100,000 jobs this year.

Kathimerini has learned that air arrivals at all Greek airports in the first seven months of the year grew by 15.2 percent or 1.2 million from last year to reach 9.13 million, with July alone recording more than 3 million arrivals. This growth dwarfs the rise in arrivals at rival destinations, as Spain enjoyed a 7 percent rise in the year to end-July, while Turkey saw a 6.8 percent increase.

Cyprus reported a 5.9 percent increase in air arrivals in the first seven months of the year on an annual basis, reaching 1.28 million.