The current market estimate for travel receipts in 2023 is 20.5 billion euros following the publication of Bank of Greece data for the first 11 months of last year.
That is an increase in foreign tourism revenues of more than 10% compared to the last record year, 2019. It is recalled that in 2019 the receipts from abroad for Greek tourism had amounted to €18.2 billion.
In January-November 2023, travel receipts amounted to €20.115 billion – i.e. they showed an increase of €2.23 billion compared to the same period of 2019, when they had reached €17.884 billion. According to the Bank of Greece, the rise in travel receipts was driven by a 17.3% increase in inbound travel compared to 2022, as average spending per trip fell by 2.7%.
Germany emerges as the first market both in terms of visitors and revenue, followed by Britain. Receipts from Germany increased by 8.7% in January-November 2023 compared to the previous year to €3.51 billion, while those from France increased by 11.6% compared to 2022 to €1.413 billion. UK receipts rose to €3.286 billion and US receipts increased by 15.1% to €1.344 billion.
Inbound travel traffic increased by 17.3% compared to 2022 and amounted to 31.969 million travelers, compared to 27.255 million in the same period of 2022. Compared to the corresponding period of 2019, when 30.65 million travelers had arrived, last year visitors increased by 1.319 million in the first 11 months.
Travel traffic through airports last year increased by 12.5% compared to 2022, while that via road border stations rose by 34.5%. Travelers from European Union countries totaled 19.285 million, while those from outside the EU amounted to 12.684 million. Visitors from Germany reached 4.68 million in the 11th month, while the French numbered 1.8 million. Travel traffic from the UK came to 4.543 million, while that from the US rose significantly to 1.36 million.
For 2024 there is already remarkable growth potential for air seat bookings and in scheduled seats by airlines, pointing to an increase of up to 10% compared to record year 2023.
{YPKAT}ILIAS BELLOS{YPKAT}
