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Athens News Agency: News in English, 05-11-23
CONTENTS
[01] Report eyes upbeat tourism forecast for '06
[01] Report eyes upbeat tourism forecast for '06
Tourist arrivals in Greece will probably post a 6-percent increase for
2005, a report by the Institute for Touristic Research and Forecasts
(ITEP) said on Wednesday.
The report said the reversal of a negative climate was attributed to
the unprecedented mobilisation by tourism authorities via advertising
campaigns during 2005. ITEP, however, noted that with the exception of
the two large urban centres and surrounding areas in Greece, the
tourist season was not very satisfactory in provincial Greece, with the
Ionian islands (excluding Corfu, +3.3 pct), reporting declines
(Cephalonia -7.4 pct, Zakynthos -5.1 pct) in the January-October
period. Islands in the eastern Aegean also reported declines (Samos
-16.9 pct, Lesvos -4.7 pct).
Rhodes reported a 4.3-percent increase in tourist arrivals in the first
10 months of the year, compared with the same period in 2004, while the
island of Kos reported a decline of 3.2 pct. The situation was better
for Crete, with Irakleio and Hania reporting increases of 6.3 pct and
4.3 pct over the same period, respectively.
ITEP said it expected a good tourism year in 2006 and predicted higher
figures in tourist arrivals compared with the current year. The report
said that Spain, Croatia and Turkey reported strong growth numbers this
year, ranging from 6.3 pct in Spain to 23 pct in Turkey, while Italy
and France were recovering, with growth rates of 4-5 pct and 2.5 pct,
respectively.
(Photo: A view of the incomparable Temple of Poseidon atop Cape
Sounion, in southeastern-most Attica prefecture. ANA/ V. Kalalougas)
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