Tourism industry target markets that topped support for the country’s tourism sector in 2021 have been included in Bank of Greece data just released, covering January to November.
The data showed a 22.6 percent increase in the average amount of money spent by visitors per trip to Greece during the 11-month period, up to 720.3 euros from 587.4 euros in the equivalent period a year earlier. The average amount of money spent per trip by visitors also increased in November, rising 25.6 percent to 495.3 euros from 394.2 euros in November, 2020. The inflow of travellers to Greece increased by 96.8 percent between January and November, 2021, totaling 14.3 million visitors, up from 7.3 million in the equivalent period of 2020.
Traveller inflow via the country’s airports increased by 106.7 percent, while the inflow through land borders increased by 66.5 percent, the data showed. Visitors from the EU’s 27 member states totaled 9.96 million during the 11-month period, a 105.9 percent increase compared to the equivalent period in 2020. The number of visitors to Greece from non-EU countries reached 4.36 million travellers, a 78.8 percent increase. Visitor inflow from Eurozone countries increased by 111.9 percent, while inflow from the EU-27 countries that are not part of the Eurozone grew by 91.5 percent, according to the data.
The number of visitors from Germany between January and November, 2021 increased by 95.2 percent to 2.96 million travellers, while the rise from France reached 148.6 percent, totaling 1.16 million visitors.
As for non EU-27 countries, the inflow from the UK increased by 45.9 percent to 1.55 million travellers, while the number of visitors from the US rose by 266 percent to 382,000. The amount of travellers from Russia grew by 350.1 percent to 112,000 during the 11-month period.
The total number of visitors in November, 2021 reached 561,000, up 219.3 percent compared to the equivalent month in 2020.
Arrivals at airports in November, 2021 increased by 249.6 percent compared to November, 2020, while land-border arrivals increased by 197.9 percent during the month, the data showed.
The rise in tourism inflow resulted from a 224.3 percent increase in arrivals from EU-27 member states and a 214.2 percent increase from non-EU countries in November, 2021.
The inflow of visitors, in November, 2021, from Eurozone countries reached 228,000, up 254.6 percent, while the increase from non-EU 27 countries was 147.6 percent, reaching 63,000 travellers.
Visitors from Germany in November increased by 258.2 percent to 75,000, while the inflow from France grew 375.1 percent to 18,000.
As for non EU-27 arrivals in November, 2021, inflow from the UK increased by 88.6 percent to 64,000 and arrivals from the US increased by 268.5 percent to 17,000. Travellers from Russia to Greece in November, 2021 skyrocketed 4,281 percent to 17,000.
Travel expenditure per market
Travel expenditure in Greece between January and November, 2021 increased by 144.6 percent, compared to the equivalent period in 2020, reaching 10.5 billion euros.
This increase was attributed to an increase in travel expenditure by visitors from the EU-27, who spent 6.8 billion euros, 140.2 percent more compared to spending in the 11-month period of 2020, as well as a 143.6 percent increase in spending, to 3.5 billion euros, by travellers from non EU-27 countries.
Expenditure in Greece by Eurozone travellers totaled 5.56 billion euros, up 132.7 percent, during the 11-month period, while expenditure by non EU-27 travellers increased by 180.4 percent to 1.26 billion euros.
Expenditure by travellers from Germany reached 2.35 billion euros, up 108.5 percent compared to the equivalent 11-month period in 2020, while spending by French travellers in Greece increased by 170.7 percent to 991 million euros.
As for expenditure by non EU-27 visitors, spending by UK travellers increased by 95.6 percent to 1.47 billion euros. Spending by US visitors over the 11-month period in 2021 increased by 603.4 percent to 598 million euros, while spending by Russian travellers increased by 674.8 percent to 108 million euros.
In November, 2021, travel expenditure in Greece increased by 308.2 percent compared to the equivalent month a year earlier. EU-27 travellers spent 257.5 percent more in November, 2021 for a total of 118 million euros. Expenditure by non EU-27 travellers grew by 340.9 percent in November, 2021, to 160 million euros from 36 million euros in November, 2020.
The travel expenditure increase by EU-27 travellers to Greece was attributed to greater spending by Eurozone visitors, who spent 106 million euros in November, 2021, 282.7 percent more than the 28 million-euro amount spent in November, 2020, as well as more spending by non EU-27 visitors, spending 12 million euros, a 126.1 percent increase.
Visitors from Germany spent 208.9 percent more, 30 million euros, in November, 2021 compared to the same month a year earlier, while travellers from France increased their expenditure to 7 million euros, a 293.5 percent increase.
As for non EU-27 travellers to Greece, visitors from the UK increased their spending by 163 percent, to 36 million euros, in November, 2021, visitors from the US spent 363.1 percent more last November, reaching 22 million euros, while Russian travellers increased their expenditure in Greece by 1,642.2 percent to 10 million euros.
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