Greece Hopes To Lure More Chinese Tourists In 2013
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Chinese tourists to Greece spend, on average, more than 200 euros per person than any other foreign visitor in the country, noted the President of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) on Sunday, as the nation prepares to introduce new measures to boost tourism figures, as a means of economic recovery.
Chinese tourists to Greece spend, on average, more than 200 euros per person than any other foreign visitor in the country, noted the President of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) on Sunday, as the nation prepares to introduce new measures to boost tourism figures, as a means of economic recovery.
According to Andreas Andreadis, as cited by Xinhua, approximately 80,000 Chinese visitors arrived in Greece last year, though the country is hopeful to lure more amid a growing fascination among Chinese about Greece.
At an event hosted by the Hellenic Chinese Chamber over the weekend, Greek Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni added that the government was looking at visa validation issues in order to make it easier for Chinese visitors to come to Greece, while discussions have also occurred over the possibility of opening up direct flights.
[quote]“The major wager for Greek tourism is to increase the tourism flow from China,” Kefalogianni said, claiming that Greece may also lower its value-added tax for food catering in order to lure more tourists.[/quote]Related: Silver Lining In The Greek Tragedy
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This year, Greece welcomed roughly 16 million visitors to the country, with the tourism industry accounting for about 18 percent of Greece’s GDP and one in five jobs.
Andreadis predicted that Greece may see as much as 17 million visitors next year, forecasting tourism revenues of around 11 billion euros ($14.5 billion), which will make 2013 one of the best in recent years, following its peak of 11.6 billion euros ($15 billion) in 2008.
The government though does not expect domestic tourism, which accounts for some 25 percent of total tourism revenues, to register positive results soon.
According to SETE, the occupancy rates at popular winter resorts across Greece this festive season ranges between just 45 and 70 percent, despite discounts in room rates by some 30 percent compared to previous years.
In the capital of Athens alone, some 4,000 businesses closed down and nearly 30,000 job positions lost, as unemployment rates nationwide hit record highs above 25 percent.
