Tourists arrivals throughout the Mediterranean this season are increased, compared to 2018, with Greece's primary regional rivals recovering from previous disappointing years, including non-European destinations such as Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia. Additionally, Spain and Croatia continue to show growing tourism figures, with German, Russian and French holiday-makers dominating in terms of arrivals.
By L. Karageorgos
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Tourists arrivals throughout the Mediterranean this season are increased, compared to 2018, with Greece's primary regional rivals recovering from previous disappointing years, including non-European destinations such as Turkey, Egypt and Tunisia. Additionally, Spain and Croatia continue to show growing tourism figures, with German, Russian and French holiday-makers dominating in terms of arrivals.
According to initial reports, Greek operators are trying to off-set the increased competition by offering more economic packages, analysts have pointed out.
Spain, the leading Mediterranean destination, has posted a 4.4-percent increase in tourism arrivals in the first four months (off-season) of the year, compared to 2018.
Turkey's tourism sector is also in "comeback mode", showing an increase in arrivals by 11.3 percent over the Jan-May 2018 period.
Strife-plagued Egypt is also making a comeback, with the World Tourism Council forecasting more than 11.7 million tourists in 2019, while Tunisia - among the cheapest destinations in the Mediterranean - shows an 18-percent hike in tourism arrivals between Jan-April 2019, or 2.239 million tourists in absolute terms.
As far as Croatia is concerned, the country with the "lion's share" of the spectacular Dalmatian coast, welcomed 1.5 million tourists in the first four months of 2019, an increase of 13 percent, yoy.