The Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises recently released a forecast stating that revenue from the Greek tourism industry is expected to grow by 13% in 2014, reaching 13 billion euros, which may provide a much-needed boost to the persistently sluggish Greek economy. It is projected that in 2014, the number of foreign tourists visiting Greece will exceed 18 million, with revenue reaching 13 billion euros, setting a historical record for the Greek tourism industry. Relevant booking data indicates that the number of British tourists alone is expected to increase by 10% in 2014.
Tourism is a pillar industry of Greece, accounting for 17% of its total economic output of 185 billion euros. At the same time, the tourism industry provides the most jobs for Greeks—one in every five Greeks is employed in a tourism-related profession. A representative from the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises stated that Greece is one of the preferred travel destinations for European citizens, particularly favored by the British and Germans.
According to data recently released by the Bank of Greece, in September of this year, the number of foreign tourists arriving in Greece reached 3 million, an increase of 17.5% compared to the same period last year, with tourism revenue increasing by 17.3% year-on-year. In the first nine months of this year, the number of tourists increased by 15.2% compared to the same period last year, exceeding 15.5 million, and revenue increased by 14.4% year-on-year.
