ATHENS – With even unlawfully-built facilities being allowed to cater to tourist needs, Greece is anticipating a record year of arrivals including from the United Kingdom, a major market of visitors.
After meeting Britain’s Ambassador Matthew Lodge, Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias said Greece expects more than 4 million Britons in 2023 because of the addition of more direct flights, reported GTP Headlines.
British low-cost carrier Jet2.com said it would be launching summer flights to Rhodes and Halkidiki in April, earlier and put “thousands of extra seats” on sale to Rhodes from Birmingham and Manchester and travel agency TUI boosted capacity too, the report noted.
More than 3 million UK tourists visited Greece in 2021 when the New Democracy government essentially ended COVID-19 pandemic health restrictions in a bid to bring in more foreign travelers.
According to Bank of Greece (BoG) data for 2022, UK travel receipts increased in 2022 by 21.8 percent compared to the previous record year of 2019 before the Coronavirus struck, the report added.
Lodge thanked Greece and the Greeks for “making sure that British tourists are safe and that they return with the best memories of Greece, a country that for Britain has always held the reputation for hospitality and beauty.”
Source: The National Herald