Financial crisis isn’t keeping tourists from flocking to Greece

With indications that 2017 will be another record tourism season, signs are that visitors are setting aside any possible concerns about Greece’s ongoing economic crisis and continuing to come in droves – even if last year they didn’t spend as much as was hoped.

With the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) – which has been criticized for doing too little to push the country’s assets – predicting as many as 30 million visitors it looks like another banner year even though the expected numbers in the first quarter were off expectations.

For the last two years, Greece’s growth has been nearly twice the global industry average of 3.9 percent, as reported by the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in January 2017 and Travel Writer Lea Lane, in a column for Forbes, said it looks like a great year for Greece.

Stepping up its activities, GNTO has a strategy to increase access by air, land and sea even though the largest cruise ships can’t use the still-being-developed port of Piraeus as well as pushing other forms of tourism, such as for culture and medicine.

The World Travel & Tourism Council estimates that tourism in 2017 will help boost the Greek economy by 6.9 percent, and will boost employment by 6.3 percent, supporting nearly 1 million jobs and representing 20% of the country’s GDP. One in five jobs created in Greece is related to the tourism sector. Tourism is essential to Greece’s effort for recovery and prosperity. Every 30 or more tourists visiting Greece, creates one new job for a Greek.

“We are very optimistic about the upcoming tourist season and our continued momentum,” Greek Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura told Forbes. “Greece’s incomparable natural beauty, ancient history, vibrant urban culture and spirit of ‘philotimo’ make it one of the world’s most unique and desired year-round destinations.”

Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary General, who visited Athens earlier this year said he too was optimistic. “Greece is one of the most popular and attractive global destinations, which enhances its international appeal and continues to record high performance,” said Rifai.

“Over the last two years, Greece has successfully addressed challenges by implementing a new tourism policy focused on extending the travel season, promoting new thematic products, opening new markets, boosting connectivity, promoting new Greek destinations and attracting new tourism investments. The result is a major improvement of Greece’s image around the world,” he said.

This year even Athens, seen as charmless but with a constant buzz, was recognized by the New York Times as one of the New York Times 52 Places to Go in 2017, and Santorini was named the #1 Island Overall in Travel + Leisure’s annual World’s Best Awards.

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