Reasonable expectations for the increase of the tourist flow to Athens in this tourist year in relation to 2020 are expressed in their statements in the APE-MPE of the capital’s tourism bodies, with the second quarter of the year it is estimated that it will determine to what extent the losses caused by the pandemic to tourism businesses in the past two years.
Achieving the size of 2019 (6.5 million visitors in Athens) may seem like a particularly difficult goal, but the president of the Athens Hotel Attica and Argosaronikos Lambrini Karanasios Zulovic conveys through APE – BPE her belief that “in 2022 that The hotels of Athens have a lot of work to do and there is widespread optimism that the final numbers (revenues and arrivals) may reach the levels of 2019 “.
Momentum is positive for Athens in 2022 – A new promotion campaign is underway
Athens is in a very good “Momentum” emphasizes Vangelis Vlachos, CEO of the Development and Tourism Promotion Company of the Municipality of Athens, in APE – MPE and focuses on the data that create optimism for the current tourist year. Athens and consequently Greece is a safe destination, something that has been internationally recognized after the successful opening of tourism in 2020, a fact that this year will be a strong incentive to visit Greece.
At the same time, Mr. Vlachos explains, Athens is a destination that has been modernized with a variety of options for the visitor. In any case “things are optimistic and this year says Mr. Vlachos. Although he does not know if the final result will be at the level of 2019 this year, however he notes that this year a” rebound “will be achieved compared to the previous two years, while 2023 will be a year of normality and supremacy even of the sizes of 2019.
In support of the above, Mr. Vlachos conveyed optimistic news from the “front” of conference tourism, which received perhaps the strongest blow from the pandemic in the previous two years. As he said, in 2022, based on a study by American Mastercard, Athens will be the number one trend for conferences.
For the next period, the company of the Municipality of Athens is preparing the new campaign to promote the destination, which will highlight the Athenian Riviera, with its presentation expected in March. The projection pillar of Athens also passes through the Film office of the municipality, which this year supported more than 60 productions, as Mr. Vlachos pointed out.
In the second quarter of the year, the summer programs of the airlines for Athens begin
Regarding the critical period of the second quarter of 2022, the CEO of Athens International Airport Giannis Paraschis at a recent event of the Athens-Attica and Argosaronikos Hoteliers Association, on the occasion of the presentation of a study to satisfy foreign visitors in the capital, stressed that there are in the meantime, as the summer programs of the airlines will start with all that this implies for the enhancement of the tourist flows.
However, from the beginning of 2022 until today, passenger traffic in the AIA is recorded at minus 45% compared to 2019. In any case, it was stressed that our country, as well as the European south has been less affected than in the north and the indications for the coming months are quite positive, always in the light of the unexpected events reserved for the pandemic.
With 2,500 new beds, the hotel portfolio of Athens in 2022
This year, according to the president of the Athens Attica and Argosaronikos Hoteliers Association, Athens will not only welcome its guests with a modernized hotel product but also with a 6% increased portfolio. It is estimated that this year the new beds in Athens amount to 2,500, as a result of the new hotel units that opened their gates. In 2021, the increase of 5 star hotels, compared to 2020 amounted to 17%, of 4 star hotels increased to 7% and of 2 star hotels amounted to 3%, always based on the data of the 17th Survey of EXAAA & GBR Consulting “On Guest Satisfaction and Hotel Performance in Attica 2021. In the future, moreover, against the background of the plans at the former Hellinikon airport, an additional 2,500 beds are estimated, which in turn will frame the hotel offer.
The FDI appeals to the competition committee for the short-term lease
In the meantime, an appeal to the Competition Commission was announced by the president of XEE, Alexandros Vasilikos, from the podium of the event of EXAAA, in order, as he said, to ensure equal conditions of competition between hotels and short-term rental accommodation. In fact, he added that there is a phenomenon of new accommodation units springing up in Athens and all of them calling themselves hotels without any control, etc. Regarding the development of this year, Mr. Vasilikos expressed his optimism for the future of the destination Athens, a fact that is also certified by significant investment interest, he said.
At 12.3 million passengers in AIA in 2021 – US market up 385%
According to the AIA, in 2021 12.3 million passengers arrived at the international airport, of which international passengers amounted to 7.7 million. In fact, the increase in passenger traffic compared to 2022 is 52% while the comparison with 2019 records losses of 52%. It is characteristic that 300,000 passengers landed in the AIA from America and the increase compared to 2020 amounted to 385%. At the same time, the German market had 340,000 passengers and an increase of 30%, the English market had 280,000 passengers and an increase of 36%, the French market had 260,000 passengers and an increase of 62% and finally the domestic market had 170,000 passengers and an increase of 78%.
54% of visitors to Athens in 2021 were couples
Regarding the travel profile of visitors to Athens, traditionally, hotels and rooms for rent have the largest share in hospitality, but tourist resorts are gaining market share in the last two years, according to research by EXAAA. 54% of visitors to Athens in 2021 were couples, 21% friends and 17% traveled alone. At the same time, 80% came to Athens for holidays, while 20% went to friends and relatives
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