See which remote islands are forecast for an unprecedented tourist season
With fullness in the lodgings it touches the 100% for July and August, reservations already made for 2024, tourists choosing even from March to visit the unspoiled Greek islands and a rapid increase in tourist accommodation, thanks to the impressive demand, the inhabitants of Chalkis, Symi, Heraklia and Kimolos, they are talking about an unprecedented tourist season, which has far surpassed the year 2019, which is considered a milestone for the tourism development of Greece.
Halki- “Bookings for 2024 have already started”
“There is no longer any available accommodation for July, August and September in Chalkis”, points out, speaking to APE, the mayor of Chalkis, Angelos Fragakis, and notes that this year, for the first time, the tourist season started much earlier and will last until October. according to the reservations already made.
“This is our best year, there is huge interest in our island and the tourist season has been extended. Since April we are already accepting tourists this year. English, British and many Australians have already visited Halki and the bookings for 2024 also started early,” he emphasizes, particularly satisfied.
In recent years, as residents living in remote island regions of the country describe, visitors have increased significantly. The small unspoiled islands, with their authenticity, tranquility, beautiful alleys, churches, beaches with crystal clear waters, win the interest of tourists from all over the world.
As characteristically mentioned by the mayor of Chalkis, the island of Peace and Friendship as declared by Unesco, according to the official data of the Port Authority, in 2019 22,147 tourists visited the island and this number reached 56,742 for 2022. “Because of Green Transition of the island, we now accept visitors from all European countries – and not only. British and Australians have already been on the island since March. Halki now has approximately 650 beds,” he notes.
Kimolos- The tourist season increased from one and a half months to six months
From February and even from January, the rental rooms on the island are closed for this year, the mayor of Kimolos, Konstantinos Ventouris, tells APE-MEP. “Very difficult to find someone to stay in Kimolos in July and August. A few years ago, the tourist season on our island was not long, barely reaching a month and a half, now they vacation in Kimolos from May but also in September, October, which are ideal for our island”, he explains.
“Our main goal is to offer quality vacations and high-level services, not quantity. We have a traditional, unspoiled environment of unique beauty that we seek to preserve in the best possible way,” he underlines.
As he points out, this year is excellent for Kimolos and great tourism development is expected. With no more than 600 permanent residents, the island has already welcomed its first visitors. Accommodations this year have increased by 15% and Kimolos has the capacity to accommodate 1500 people. 70% of the visitors are Greek and the rest are Italian, French and English.
Heraklia – We have been accepting tourists since Easter
Tourism on the island has started very early this year, for July and August everything is already closed. It is by far our best year, walkers and couples have been coming for holidays to Heraklia since Easter”, emphasizes the mayor of Heraklia Dimitris Gavalas and explains that this year 30 rooms were added to the island, as there is a great demand. In total there are 200 rooms with 500 beds to serve the island’s visitors.
Heraklia is a family destination, the island is mainly preferred by families with children from June to August, but also by many retirees from abroad. Specifically, according to Mr. Gavalas, Scandinavians, French and Germans come in May and June and in July-August most visitors are Greeks. In the summer months, the inhabitants on the island increase tenfold, reaching 1000 from 90 in the winter.
Symi- The first arrival of tourists on March 12
With roses and souvenirs, the municipality of Symi welcomed on March 12 the first group of Indian tourists to visit their island, for the new tourist season of 2023.
“As part of the Rhodes 5-0 program, which promotes tourist packages in markets new to our islands, such as India, Portugal, Spain, the United States, Brazil, Latin America, around 1,200 reservations have already been made,” he says in APE – Deputy Mayor of Symi, Nikitas Gryllis, MP.
As the residents of the island say, the tourist season in Symi started this year with the best conditions, as the island receives a very large number of tourists every day. “It is estimated that it welcomes 2,000 to 2,500 daily visitors with the data so far. Tourists come from Rhodes and have the opportunity to visit the attractions of the island, the holy Monastery of Panormitis and stimulate the market as well”, explains Mr. Gryllis.
The reservations they exceed all expectations and the countries showing interest increased significantly. “We have tourists from France, England, Germany, Belgium, USA, Spain, Italy, Monaco, Holland, India, Mexico and with an increasing trend of visitors from the Nordic countries as well,” he explains.
One of the most important economic factors of Symi is yachting. The relatively new type of marine tourism ranks the island in the first place in terms of luxury yachts and boats, as the number of those that sail exceed 17,000-18,000. As Mr. Gryllis typically mentions, the origins of yachting to Symi are: Turkey, French Riviera (Monte Carlo, Cannes, Saint Tropez), Acapulco (Mexico), Mykonos (Greece), St. Moritz (Switzerland), Ibiza and Marbella (Spain), Capri (Italy) and Marrakech (Morocco).
Source :Skai
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