Greece Banks on Bumper Summer as Airlines Vie to Add Flights
Greece is gearing up for a tourist season almost back to pre-Covid levels.
(Bloomberg) -- Greece is gearing up for a tourist season almost back to pre-Covid levels as airlines pile on flights and people starved for travel shrug off inflation and other deterrents.
Demand is resilient in Britain and Germany, the biggest source markets for visits to Greece, while the Nordic nations will produce significant traffic, Tourism Minister Vasilis Kikilias said in an interview in Athens.
British Airways, Ryanair Holdings Plc, EasyJet Plc and Jet2 Plc are seeking more flights than in 2019, when tourist numbers reached a record 31 million, and Air France and its Transavia arm will have a strong presence, Kikilias said.
There’s also an influx of long-haul travelers, with the big three U.S. airlines carrying around 3,000 people a week from Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, many bound for Greek cruise ships. Direct flights from Canada begin April 2 and visits from Australia are seen reaching a record, while Qatar Airways is seeking flights to islands such as Mykonos and Santorini.
“A real contest is taking place for airlines to find slots at Greek airports, as much as for the islands as for Athens,” Kikilias said.
Tourism accounted for a fifth of the Greek economy before Covid-19 upended travel. Revenue from visiting holidaymakers last year reached 60% of 2019’s 18 billion euros ($20 billion). The government estimated the rebound could hit 80% this year in a forecast issued just before Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
While new sales stalled immediately after the invasion, there were next to no cancellations, other than from Russians representing a small number of visitors, and from April onwards bookings are gaining ground, Kikilias said.
The halt to Chinese travel amid lingering pandemic curbs could ease in the second half, the minister said, citing insight from China’s ambassador to Greece.
The government is hopeful that the 2022 tourist season will help advance its efforts to boost visitor spending, Kikilias said, following progress last year as the average figure increased to 600 euros from 520 euros.
“Our strategy is no longer so much about the number of visitors but upgrading to a higher quality tourism product that will bring in more revenue,” he said.
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