Tourism campaign “You in Greece”

Greek tourism is about to be given an image boost – through the launch of the latest advertising campaign “You in Greece.”
The campaign aims to promote the country as an attractive tourist destination, but also provide the media with useful statistics on tourism, while shedding light on little known information regarding this year’s tourism prospects.
Visit Greece at: www.visitgreece.gr

This Summer, We Travel to Greece
Another goal is to appeal to the Greek Diaspora to visit and promote Greece abroad.

A two-month campaign has been launched under the motto “This Summer We Travel to Greece” by the bilingual Greek-American newspaper “Greek News” addressed to the Diaspora Greeks, and philhellenes.

2010 Reasons to Visit Greece

The exhibition titled “2010 reasons to visit Greece” is taking place once again at London’s Harrods department store. The Secretary – General of the World Tourism Organisation, Taleb Rifai, called Greece “one of the most important destinations in the world and a point of reference for us all.”

So Far Yet So Close

Boundaries in the Chinese market seem to be lifted one by one as increasingly more Chinese explore Greece every year.

Last year, 48 million Chinese travelled abroad but only one million visited Europe.
Chinese tour operators expect this number to increase in the future, stressing that Greece should consider capitalizing on educational tourism.
Visit Greece: “Kalimera” (Good morning)
(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

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Greek Tourism: A Mid Summer Night’s Dream

9 out of 10 Would Visit Greece Again

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Food and entertainment are the highlights of Greek tourism, while price levels seem to be the most disturbing feature according to a survey conducted by Ammon Ovis SA, on a sample of 332 tourists from all continents who have spent an average of 12 days in Greece.  Four out of ten respondents in the survey were visiting Greece for the first time, while six out of ten had planned their vacation through services provided on-line. 84% stayed at some hotel while 63% had at some point viewed an advertisement on Greece before coming to the country.   Americans, Australians and Germans appear to be the most satisfied with Greece as tourist destination, while Scandinavians and French appear to be the least pleased. Eight out of ten wish to visit Greece again and nine out of ten would recommend it as a tourist destination.  The tourists surveyed were asked to evaluate the services provided with ten being the highest grade. Food was graded 8.7, entertainment 8.3, while facilities scored 7.9, cleanness 7.7, public transport 7.6 and prices 7.  Commenting on the survey, Tourism Minister Kostas Markopoulos stressed the importance of the results related to tourists’ satisfaction. “The survey’s highlight is that tourists would be willing to visit Greece again and would recommend it to others”, he said.   Visit Greece: www.gnto.gr & Hellenic Tourism Organisation: Statistics & Studies

Luxury Tourism: A Masterpiece ‘Some’ Can Afford

According to a report drafted by Xenia SA, a leading private company, hosting international exhibitions and conferences on tourism, luxury tourism is considered globally the highest developing sector in the tourism industry, having the competitive advantage of being the least affected by the global financial turmoil.  In 2006, luxury tourism accounted for only 3% of global tourist arrivals (25 million) and 25% of the global tourist revenue ($180 billion). Most of the luxury tourism facilities can be found in the United States, in the Caribbean, Europe, Asia and the Pacific Ocean.  In the case of Greece, luxury tourism facilities are offered in tourist destinations such as Elounda on Crete island, Mykonos, Santorini, Athens and, lately on Rhodes island.  Xenia SA: Luxury Tourism: World Trends – The Prospects Of Greece  Hellenic Tourism Research Institute: www.itep.gr  Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises: www.sete.gr & Links on Hellenic Tourism Bodies and Agencies

Digital Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The percentage of Greek adolescents that had regular daily or weekly use of a computer reached 88.2% in the first quarter of 2008, while the percentage of children using the Internet totalled 71.7%, the National Statistics Service said on Monday. In a report on the use of information technology and communications by Greek households in 2008, the statistics service said the percentage of adolescents aged 12-15 years with access to the Internet totalled 84.9% in the first three months of 2008. The majority of the same age group that used either a computer or had access to the Internet, were based in their schools or their homes. Access rates from other areas, Internet cafes, public libraries, cultural and athletic clubs, reached 23.5% for computer use and 28.3% for Internet access. Commission of the European Communities: Country Profiles – Greece  (p.25) ; Information Society in Greece: Digital Strategy (2006 – 2013); Ministry of Economy and Finance: Fact Sheet on “Digital Greece” ; Greek News Agenda: Digital Greece: A Leap Forward 

Greek Economy Grew in 2008

(THE GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The Greek economy grew by 3.0% in 2008, down from 4.0% in 2007, according to provisional figures published by the National Statistics Service on Friday (13.2.2009). In its report, the statistics service said that the economic growth rate in the fourth quarter of 2008 was 2.6%, down from 2.9% in the previous quarter, while on a quarterly base, the economic growth rate in the October-December period was 0.3%, slightly lower than 0.5% in the third quarter. The statistical service attributed the slowdown in the growth rate to a significant decline in investments, mainly because of a major decrease in building activity in the country, while consumption fell strongly as a result of limited credit expansion to households. The finance ministry, in an updated Stability and Growth programme [PDF] submitted to the European Union, envisages a growth rate of National Statistics Service1.1% this year. Furthermore, the European agency Eurostat also said on Friday that the Greek economy grew by 2.6% in the fourth quarter of 2008. It reported that Greece, Slovakia (2.7 pct), Czech Republic (1.0 pct) and Austria (0.5 pct) were the only EU member-states with positive growth rates.  Eurostat: News Release – Euroindicators  (13.2.2009)

Greece’s Economy Surpasses Eurozone Peers

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)   Greece’s economic growth slowed to 3.1% year-on-year in the third quarter, showing it was braving the global slowdown better than most of its euro zone peers thanks to continuing domestic consumption, data showed on Friday. While the euro zone slipped into recession, Greece’s economy grew by 0.5% quarter-on-quarter according to available data. Eurostat said the Greek economy grew by 3.1% in the third quarter, in a report published on Friday. GDP growth in the Eurozone was 0.7%, while in the EU-27 growth was 0.8% and in the US GDP growth was 0.8%. Slovakia (7.1%), Czech Republic (4.7%) and Cyprus (3.5%) recorded the highest growth rates, while Latvia (-4.2%), Estonia (-3.3%) and Italy (-0.9%) recorded negative growth rates. Economic growth in Greece was up 0.5% in the third quarter, compared with the second quarter, while in the Eurozone and the EU-27 growth rates fell by 0.2%, respectively. Meanwhile, the National Statistics Service (NSS) reported that economic activity in the July-September period was characterised by a decline in investments and mainly by a drop in building activity. Consumer spending growth also eased, while imports also fell.   The NSS said the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew by 3.1% in the third quarter compared with the same period last year, after a 3.6% growth rate in the second quarter and a 3.2% growth rate in the first quarter of the year. Eurostat News Release – Euroindicators: Euro area and EU 27 down by 0.2% (14.11.2008)  Forbes: Greece growth slows but outpaces most euro zone peers (14.11.2008); Athens News Agency: Greek economy grew by 3.1 pct; Secretariat General of Information: World Media on Greece – Politics, Business and Current Affairs: Greek economy grows by 3.1% in third quarter  Ministry of Economy and Finance: Economic Data and Reports

Greece: Unemployment Rate Down

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Greece’s unemployment rate fell to 7.7% in April from 8.4% in the same month last year, boosted by an increase in the number of women joining the work force. According to the National Statistics Service, the number of jobless in April fell to 380,775 compared to 415,047 last year. Unemployment rates continue to be highest in the 15 to 24 age group and in Ionian island and southern Aegean regions. Kathimerini daily: Jobless rate drops to 7.7%

Greek Exports Up

(GREEK NEW AGENDA)   The value of Greek exports jumped by 21.2% in May 2008 to €1.595 billion, up from €.316 billion in the same month last year, the National Statistics Service said in its provisional estimates over the country’s merchandise trade. The value of imports fell by 11.7% in May to €4.388 billion, from €4.967 billion in May 2007.  Athens News Agency: Exports jump 21.2% in May