By V. Vegiri
[email protected]
The number of overnight stays in Greece throughout 2018 will reach 2017 levels, the president of the country's hoteliers federation, Grigoris Tasios, estimated over the weekend.
He said regions such as the Cyclades islands and major urban areas, such as greater Athens and Thessaloniki, posted gains this year, whereas other well-known tourism destinations, such as those in northern Greece and in the southern Peloponnese fell from last year's levels.
Tasios said fickle weather conditions in June and July lowered arrivals in northern Greece by holiday-makers from adjacent Balkan countries, while political and economic developments, i.e. the depressed Turkish lira, severely reduced the number of Russian and Turkish tourists.
Increased tourism arrivals from German and the UK to northern Greece, by 5 to 7 percent, ameliorated the losses in northern Greece, he said.
Tasios, who also heads the local hoteliers' federation in verdant Halkidiki prefecture, east of Thessaloniki, said the region's hotels in July did not exceed 80 percent in vacancy; increasing to 90 percent in August - compared to 90 and 95 percent, respectively, in 2017.
