The exhibition, which gathers tourism industry representatives and stakeholders from around the world, became a focal point for geopolitical tensions when the "Turkaegean" brand—which the European Union had recently decided to cancel for commercial and advertising reasons—made a surprise reappearance.
Mass tourism from Russia to Greece is a thing of the past, stressed the Russian Ambassador to Greece, Andrey Maslov, highlighting that in 2013, about 1.3 million Russians visited Greece and about 800,000 Russians annually visit the country on average.
Inbound travelers to Greece boosted tourism-related revenues to 21.27 billion euros in the Jan.-Nov. 2024 period.
Spain, France, Italy and Germany lead the way - In Greece, 84% of all overnight stays are made by foreign visitors and more than three quarters by hotels
While tourists flock to stay in central locations like Monastiraki, Syntagma, and Kolonaki, hoping to soak in the city's unrivaled atmosphere, local residents find themselves increasingly sidelined by the booming short-term rental market.
According to official SETE data, arrivals in 2023 exceeded 36 million, while in 2022, they reached approximately 30 million (this includes the number of cruise tourists).
