Greece is experiencing a rise in inbound tourism for one more year, according to official data. The latest figures released show a rise in the number of visitors entering the country through its main airports

The Ionian Islands vice-governor of tourism, Spyros Galiatsatos, warned the people wishing to visit the islands to avoid coming unless they have booked in advance, as the vacancies are very few. Speaking to the Athens News Agency, Mr Galiatsatos said it was very difficult for a four-member family to book a room in the Ionian islands at this stage.

The numbers are similar with regards to the traditional tourist destinations such as Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Corfu, Zakynthos, where occupancy rates are nearly 100%, while the less popular destinations range from 85% to 95%. In July it is estimated that more than 3.1 million foreign travellers arrived in Greece from 19 regional airports, an increase of 11% -12% compared to July 2017. Similarly, this year is expected to see comparable numbers for August and September, according to data released by the Ministry of Tourism.

Furthermore, the latest data released by the SETE Institute revealed an increase in air and road arrivals in June 2018 compared to June 2017, as the main airports recorded an increase in international arrivals of 14.6% (+18.0% beginning of the year). There was an increase in both Athens (27.0%) and regional airports (11.7%), and from the beginning of the year, the increases were 23.1% and 15.8%, respectively. At the same time, international road arrivals increased by 8.4%, and from the beginning of the year, the increase was + 3.1%.

The main countries of origin are the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Romania, and Serbia. Typically the British choose Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini for their holidays, while the Germans also go to Crete, with the Italian guests also choosing similar destinations.
As far as hotel prices are concerned, based on data from the online search platform Trivago, tourists opt for affordable rates, compared to the prices of hotel units of corresponding destinations abroad. Greece as a whole (with the exception of Mykonos and Santorini) is cheaper in all categories – except for Turkey.