By L. Karageorgos
[email protected]
One goal for the 2018 tourism season, according to the relevant ministry at least, is for more than one million holiday-makers from Russia.
Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura cited the target, in fact, in statements during the MITT exhibition in Moscow last week.
Albeit ambitious, so far tour operators have referred to more flights being scheduled from Russia to Greece.
Beyond heightened interest in a Greek holiday by the average Russian vacationer, a significant factor in the number of arrivals from Russia to the east Mediterranean country will depend on the ruble-euro parity, as well as the availability of high-end hotel rooms.
According to Russia's Turstat statistics service, roughly 856,000 holiday-makers visited Greece in 2017, up 10 percent from the previous year. Additionally, many Russian citizens acquire visa for entry into all EU countries, which means that the number visiting Greece may be higher.
Nevertheless, a lower figure is provided by the Bank of Greece (BoG), which recorded 588.700 arrivals by Russian tourists in 2017, down from roughly 595,500 in 2016, a decrease of 1.1 percent.
On a positive note, the coming season will witness an increase in the number of flights from Moscow and St. Petersburg towards Corfu, Crete, Kos and Rhodes, while new routes will be inaugurated connecting Moscow with Hania and Athens.
