Greece could be one of the first countries in Europe to welcome tourists back, once the Covid-19 pandemic has been combatted, according to World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) President & CEO Gloria Guevara, reported GTP Headlines.
In its new 2020 Economic Impact Report (EIR) report, the WTTC shows that Greece continued to be one of the strongest European countries in terms of Travel & Tourism growth last year, and that the sector will be key to the country’s economic recovery.
In an announcement, Guevara underlined how fundamental the Travel & Tourism sector was last year to the Greek economy and said the country’s government “must also be applauded” for its incredibly swift response to COVID-19, which saw restrictions in place even before the virus reached the country.
“Since then, the government has worked closely with the public and private sector, ensuring protocols and standards are in place that will not only see the country through to a fast recovery, it could be one of the first countries in Europe to welcome tourists back to its shores,” she said.
WTTC’s 2020 Economic Impact Report (EIR) underlines that the Travel & Tourism sector last year support almost 850,000 jobs in Greece, equating to more than one in five of all those in employment.
“Strong growth in the country followed the Governments successful policy which focused on extending the season beyond summer, which led to a rise in visitor numbers outside of the traditional summer season,” she said.
WTTC’s EIR reveals that, between 2016 and 2018, Germany accounted for 14% of all visitors to Greece, with the UK reaching 11%. Visitors from Bulgaria accounted for 10% of all travellers, with Italy and North Macedonia level pegging at 5%.
The report shows that tourism also generated €39.1BN to GDP, or 20.8% to the Greek economy, growing by an incredible 12.1% from the previous year, outpacing the growth of the overall economy for the third consecutive year.
The comprehensive report shows this growth significantly outpaced the overall GDP growth in 2019 of 2.2% in the same year.
Analysis in the WTTC EIR report also showed international visitor spend totalled a staggering €21.3 billion, representing almost one third (30.1%) of the country’s total exports.
The report also demonstrates the nation’s need for a swift recovery due to its strong reliance on leisure spending, accounting for 94% of all spend, compared to 6% for business spend. Furthermore, international spend accounted for 68% compared to 32% domestic.
*Source: GTP Headlines
Open all they want. Any Greeks expecting tourists to return anywhere close to the volume they were before anytime soon — are incompetent.
This virus is going to be around for years to come. And even if a cure is found the pleasure industry is going to be negatively effected for years after that due not only to the current economic collapse but lack of confidence in the economy. Most people are focused on basics like food and shelf these days — not frivolously going on vacation when they might not have a job in a few months..
Rather that focusing on tourism what we should be doing is retooling our economy around technology. Depending on tourism is like telling Greeks to become goat herders. Illogical. What we need is more mathematicians, physicists, engineers, biologists, and other scientists. We don’t need any more bartenders and restaurants. These industries are mostly for unskilled illiterates — nothing to be proud of and nothing to aspire to.
An ideological problem with Greece at the moment is is filled with leftists and this is reflected in our lack of economic output.. Even our alleged “conservative’ party Nea Democratia is half filled with liberals (see the incompetent staff of Ekathmereni). These leftists are relativists that preach to us everything is ok. As proud anti-nationalist they even couldn’t care less about Hellenism. So rather than focus on Hellenic classics like math and physics, they open bars pizzerias, and Yoga studios.
Now you see the results of that idiotic line of thinking. We have become a nation of maids, waiters, janitors, unskilled labourers and leftist political pundits— with no skills beyond hot air. Their mentality has absolutely noting to do with Hellenism. If we want to save Greece, it must start with a change in mentality.
A. The Greek left has to be politically obliterated in Greece (including any elements within ND that are liberals that dishonestly pretend to be conservative (see liberals that work at ELIAMEP that go around telling foreigners we aren’t “real” Greeks) We don’t have go to the extreme of being fascists but he have a right to protect our identity, culture and sovereignty just like other people’s do. The Greek left are fifth columnists that care far more about government handouts and illegal immigrants than Hellenism. The leftists call anything “Hellenic” – rendering the term meaningless. They are a lost cause of antihellenic ignorance.They have turned Greece into a second world banana republic.
B. We need to get back to Hellenic basics… learning science. That knowledge is what can be used to produce goods and services in demand. Be wary of any Greeks advising us to depend on tourism. They are effectively encouraging us to be ignorant.