Greek tourism needs to be on the ball

The last time more than 85,000 people passed through Athens International Airport, many of them were disappointed Liverpool fans nursing sore heads and sunburned backs.

Until July 27 this year, the airport's busiest day was May 24, 2007. It was the day after the Champions League final between AC Milan and Liverpool in Athens. The Italian side won the game 2-1 but the English fans had a far greater presence in the city, enjoying the weather and quenching their thirst.

The fact that this record has been broken is a positive sign for Greece's tourism industry. In May 2007, more than 60,000 people attended Europe's top soccer match and thousands more came to Athens in the hope of finding a ticket for the game or just soaking up the atmosphere. Athens has not held such a major one-off event since then but on July 27 this year, 85,987 people passed through the city's...