Tourists stay in to eat and drink

In the middle of the tourism season in July, arrivals increased by 4.1% but revenue shrank by 4.2%, while average spending per trip was down 9.1% year-on-year.

The main reason seems to be the wave of inflation that has hit Europe as a whole. It appears that more tourists - Greeks and foreigners - are choosing not to eat and drink at restaurants, cafes and bars, but staying in, especially if they are at a short-term rental or traditional "room to let"

There is a clear shift to food and drink made "at home," as even in short-rentals many tourists buy coffee from the supermarket and make it themselves. There is also a big increase in sales from liquor stores.