The Greek tourism minister hailed UK visitor numbers in 2022 as “fantastic”, especially as it has “not been the easiest year”.
Vassilis Kikilias said British arrivals had surpassed three million, which he said was “close to our all-time record”.
“Taking into consideration all the uncertainties of inflation, the energy crisis, war, flight and airport disruption, and the continuing pandemic, we’ve had great success with the British market,” he said.
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“Brits love Greece whether it’s for the loud, party destination; a family holiday with the kids; golf and sport; culture and food; or short breaks.”
Kikillias said it was his job to “take this achievement and push these numbers further” in 2023, by extending the season, boosting air capacity to the country, encouraging visitors to visit less well-known parts of Greece and attracting more “quality” tourists with higher income.
He added he spent World Travel Market last week talking to airlines and tour operators to help support this vision.
Kikilias said he “does not have a crystal ball” to show him how many UK arrivals Greece could attract next year, but was optimistic of a significant uplift, especially given how much investment being plunged into the tourism sector.
“We have major investment from the likes of Hyatt, Accor and Six Senses.. It’s a vote of confidence from these big brands. They are investing in Greece. They can see that Greece, which is one of the top five brands in the world, in tourism terms, is getting upgraded,” he added.
Kikilias said there was “great momentum” also being created in the cruise sector.
Greece welcomed more than 5,000 cruise ship calls this year, with the number of ships homeporting or staying overnight in Thessaloniki increasing from 19 to 78.
“55% of all ships are homeporting or staying overnight in Greece,” said Kikilias.
He added that sustainability was core to Greece’s growth.
“It’s a trend, but it’s absolutely correct to be so. It’s very important for us to create a sustainable future for Greece.”