Galery

1

"Balkan people saved us this year," they said from the Kavala Hoteliers Association, stating that tourists from neighbouring countries have increased by 20% compared to last year. Foreign tourists from neighbouring countries have largely filled the holes from the absent Greek tourists in comparison with previous years. Holidaymakers from the Balkan countries and the Eastern Bloc turned out to be the life-belt for tourism in the region of Khalkidhiki peninsula this year too.

Despite the troubled times, tourism as a percentage of GDP enjoys an increase and the tourist flow in the country has increased by about 13% during the summer of 2011 compared to last year. Analysis shows that this increase is not due so much to improved quality of services or because of drastically reduced prices, or to a change in the positive political efforts in the field of tourism. The reason lies in the instability in the countries in North Africa, which shifts the tourists’ interests towards the southern European countries.

Tourists from Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, Russia and Israel are directed mainly to the resorts of northern Greece, the arriving flights this summer rising by about 12% for the first eight months of this year compared with same period of 2010. The easy land access from Bulgaria has also played a decisive role in choosing a summer resort.

According to industry observers, this year, hoteliers have decreased the prices to some extent, despite the new tax burden. The main reason lies in the need to attract more tourists, because the total volume of tourists stay has decreased. If a few years ago tourists stayed between 10 days and two weeks, their stay has decreased significantly and now does not exceed one week, say sources familiar with the matter. The most common bookings have been between three and five days.

According to the Khalkidhiki Hoteliers Association, half of all tourists visiting the beautiful Mediterranean peninsula were from Russia this year. The number of tourists from Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania has increased by 20%. There is a reduction in the number of tourists from Western Europe this summer, mainly due to the bad image of the Greek country. The German tourists who visited the country were about 5% less, and the number of tourists from United Kingdom remains at last year's levels.

Prices have been reduced by 10% and overnight stays have increased by about 5% -7% in comparison with the previous summer while revenues have remained relatively flat from 2010. The lack of increase in profit is no longer considered a problem, taking into account the general state of the Greek finances. The businessmen from the Khalkidhiki peninsula are satisfied that there is work and tourist interest in the northern part of Greece, despite the new tougher economic conditions.

The economic crisis is the reason for the decrease in the number of Greeks holidaymakers too. The Association data show that the number of Greeks who have gone on an organized vacation in their own country this year has decreased by about 15%. Many Greeks have preferred to visit their homes by the sea this summer or to spend their summer vacation in the seaside homes of their friends instead of paying for a hotel. The Greeks, who have still afforded to rest in a hotel, have significantly reduced their stay.