More tourists, less spending

Is the profile of tourists visiting Greece changing? Do they stay fewer days and therefore spend less money, or do they also choose budget accommodation solutions due to the recession in Europe? Is the peak season changing as the climate crisis turns July and August into uncomfortably hot months? Or is Greece losing higher-income visitors to travelers with much lower budgets?

Experts and economists in the sector are trying to answer these questions following the publication of data showing a significant drop in the average expenditure per trip in July - alongside an increase in arrivals.

Although in order to make a complete assessment of these figures there must first be data on overnight stays - how many days private individuals stay in Greece - the first indications are alarming. The average spending per trip of the country's incoming visitors in July presented a...