Chinese tourists to Greece set to double in 2018

by Aggelos Skordas

The number of Chinese tourists visiting Greece in 2018 is expected to rise by more than 50 percent, Tourism Minister Elena Kountoura said. Following a hike of 35 percent in 2017, Greece is expected to welcome a record number of Chinese visitors. Speaking to AMNA Kountoura said that Greece is giving a large emphasis on the tourism market of China.

“We support the European Union-China tourism year and are taking advantage of the common European operational framework for the boosting of new Greek products, the promotion of their competitive advantages and the promotion of Greece as a top destination that offers unique travel experiences 365 days a year,” she highlighted.

Moreover, Kountoura stressed that Greece is capitalising on its presence in the World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Executive Board by promoting the “Western Road of Silk”, within the framework of the Chinese government’s initiative “One Belt, One Road”. The Tourism Minister also said that an international meeting on tourism on the Silk Road will be held in Thessaloniki in October, in cooperation with the World Tourism Organisation. However, as she pointed out, the remarkable rise of the arrivals was based on the establishment of the air link between Athens and Beijing, which Kountoura described as “a great success”.

On the occasion of her recent visit to the Shanghai International Tourism Fair successive meetings were held with leading travel groups on the Chinese tourism market, examining possibilities for boosting the tourism flow of Chinese visitors with new travel packages. Also, at the initiative of Kountoura, a special event was organised with representatives of the three largest Chinese airlines (Air China, China Eastern, China Southern) operating international routes to European destinations and Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” representatives, with the aim of launching a new direct air link between Shanghai and Athens.

Over the last three years (2015-2017) Greece has seen an impressive rise of Chinese visitors. Last year a 35 percent hike was recorded. Greece, unlike other destinations Mediterranean and European destinations, is attracting Chinese visitors with high incomes. In 2016, one in 10 high-income Chinese tourists who chose Mediterranean destinations preferred Greece, a tendency that increased in the following years. In 2017, two out of three Chinese visitors had high incomes and spent an average of 5,679 euros per trip or 931 euros per day (a total of nearly 400 million euros). In 2018, it is estimated that two out of 10 high-income Chinese tourists will opt for Greece over other Mediterranean destinations, marking a 100 percent increase in arrivals in just two years. Greece was the seventh most popular European destination for Chinese tourists in 2017.