[ad_1]
The variety of vacationers visiting Greece has hit a report excessive because the begin of the 12 months, regardless of a heatwave and fierce wildfires over the summer season, in response to official statistics launched Monday. From January to the tip of August, 22.65 million individuals visited the Mediterranean nation famend for its Aegean islands and historical websites such because the Acropolis within the capital Athens. (Additionally Learn | Japan mulls lifting ban on journey sharing amid scarcity of drivers)
It was an 18.4 p.c improve over final 12 months, the nation’s central financial institution, the Financial institution of Greece, mentioned. The customer numbers for the primary eight months of the 12 months additionally exceeded the report set in 2019, which noticed 21.84 million guests.
Arrival numbers then plunged in 2020 and 2021 after journey restrictions imposed to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.
Officers had feared that a number of forest fires that broke out beginning in July, when Greece was hit by a chronic heatwave with temperatures reaching 46 levels Celsius (115 levels Fahrenheit) within the south of the nation, would once more deter vacationers.
The fires led to the evacuation of tens of 1000’s of individuals, together with many vacationers, from two prime Greek island resorts, Rhodes and Corfu, within the face of the advancing flames.
The nation was once more hit by fires the next month.
General the fires, fanned by the dry, windy and scorching situations, left 26 lifeless and blackened round 150,000 hectares (370,000 acres).
American vacationers supplied the most important leap in numbers thus far this 12 months, with a 50.3 p.c leap in August in comparison with the interval in 2022.
Tourism generates round 1 / 4 of Greece’s GDP, and a few critics warn of the impression of “overtourism” on some islands and exorbitant costs on others.
A “seashore towel motion” initiative emerged over the summer season, with locals denouncing the appropriation of many seashores by companies deploying parasols and deckchairs rented by the day, some at excessive charges.
Subscribe immediately by clicking the hyperlink and keep up to date with the newest information!” Click on right here!This story has been revealed from a wire company feed with out modifications to the textual content. Solely the headline has been modified.