Tourism in Greece has become a key element of economic activity in the country, and is one of the most important sectors in the country. Greece has been a major tourist destination and attraction in Europe since antiquity, due to its rich culture and history, which is widely reflected by the 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, among the most in Europe and the world as well as for its long coastline, many islands , and the beach.
Greece attracted 26.5 million visitors by 2015, 30.1 million visitors by 2017 and 32.5 million visitors are expected by 2018, making Greece one of the most visited countries in Europe and the world, contributing 18% of the national Gross Domestic Product. Its capital, Athens, as well as Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Corfu, Crete, and Chalkidice are some of the country's major tourist destinations.
In recent years, Greece has also promoted religious tourism and pilgrimages to areas with significant historical religious presence, such as monasteries in Meteora and Mount Athos, in collaboration with other countries.
Video Tourism in Greece
Soil and Climate
Greece has a Mediterranean climate along the coast and its islands. After the land, many regions and cities experience continental climate.
Summer is usually hot and dry, while winter is generally mild and wet. Northern Greece can experience winter, while Southern Greece and the islands experience much cooler winters.
Maps Tourism in Greece
History
Tourism in Greece traces its roots to ancient times. Cultural exchanges occurred between the Greek colonies of Magna Graeca and the young Roman Republic before the rise of the Romans for Western Mediterranean domination. When the Greeks were annexed by the Roman Empire centuries later, the cultural exchange that began between the two civilizations triggered as a result a large number of Romans visited the famous Greek philosophical and philosophical centers, such as Athens, Corinth and the Cliff, in part because the Greeks had become provinces of the Roman Empire and Greece were granted Roman citizenship.
Tourism in modern Greece began to develop in the 1960s and 1970s, which came to be known as mass tourism. During that time, large-scale construction projects for hotels and other facilities were conducted and the country saw an increase in international tourists over the years. International events such as the 2004 Summer Olympics and the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, both held in Athens, are very helpful in boosting tourism in the country, while large nationally funded cultural infrastructure such as the New Acropolis Museum also contributes to the flow of tourists in the country. Thessaloniki is the capital of European Youth in 2014.
Visitors
In 2009, the country welcomed more than 19.3 million tourists, a huge increase from the 17.7 million tourists the country greeted in 2008. Most of the country's tourists come from within the EU (12.7 million), followed by people from America (0.56 million), Asia (0.52 million), Oceania (0.1 million) and Africa (0.06 million). In 2007, more British people visited the country compared to other countries, totaling 2.61 million, representing 15% of the country's tourists for that year alone. In addition, 2.3 million Germans, 1.8 million Albanians and 1.1 million Bulgarians visited the country that year. In 2007, 92.8% of total tourists in Greece came from countries in Europe.
The most visited region of Greece is Central Macedonia in northern Greece, near some of the most popular sights of the country such as Halkidiki, Mount Olympus, Pella, birthplace of Alexander the Great, and the second largest Greek city of Thessaloniki.. In 2009, Central Macedonia welcomed 3.6 million tourists, or 18% of the total number of tourists visiting Greece that year, followed by Attica (2.6 million) and Peloponnese (1.8 million). Northern Greece is the most visited region in the country, with 6.5 million tourists, while Central Greece is second with 6.3 million.
According to a survey conducted in China in 2015, Greece was selected as China's number one choice as a tourist destination. In November 2016, Austria, like China, announced that Greece is a favorite tourist destination for its citizens. In line with this observation, former Greek Tourism Minister Aris Spiliotopoulos announced the opening of the office of the National Tourism Organization of Greece in Shanghai at the end of 2010, and GNTO currently operates two tourism offices in China, one in Shanghai and one in Beijing. It is estimated that throughout 2013 Greece welcomes more than 17.93 million tourists, an increase of 10% compared with 2012. More than 22 million tourists visit Greece in 2014 and this number increases to 26 million visitors by 2015 and is projected to attract 28 million visitors in 2016, making it one of the most visited countries in Europe and the world. Tourism in Greece will usually peak between May and September where about 75% of all tourist arrivals occur.
Arrival by country
The nearby Macedonian Republic has the highest number of tourists visiting Greece in 2015. The top 10 countries are:
Economic impact
At the same time, tourism consumption has grown substantially since the turn of the millennium, from US $ 17.7 billion. in 2000 to US $ 29.6 billion. in 2004. The number of jobs directly or indirectly related to the tourism sector is 659,719 and represents 16.5% of the country's total employment for the year.
Infrastructure
As a highly developed country dependent on tourism, Greece offers a variety of tourist facilities. Infrastructure tourism in Greece has greatly improved since the 2004 Athens Olympics and continues to grow with a number of important projects especially in less-populated areas of mass tourism.
Beach resort
Some of the popular beach resorts including Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Corfu, Kefalonia, Zante and Skiathos attract millions of foreign tourists each year.
Hotels and conference facilities
Tourism conferences, targeted at academic, business, or cultural markets, form the basis of Greece's national tourism policy. As a result, the Greek government, with strong support from local government, has offered lucrative cash grants, leases and working subsidies and tax allowances to establish new conferencing facilities and expand existing facilities. In a recent report in Meeting and Incentive Trips, Greece was ranked eighth in the world overnight for the conference. Figures from the Tourism Satellite Accounting Research, conducted by WTTC (World Travel & Tourism Council) projected an increase in worldwide revenue on business travel to Greece from US $ 1.51 billion. in 2001 to US $ 2.69 billion. in 2011. In 1998, the figure reached US $ 1.18 billion.
According to Hellenic Chamber of Hotels in 2016, the number of hotels in Greece by classification (bed):
Marinas
Greece has 51 marinas and 14,661 moorings that provide services such as berths, fuel, water and electricity, telephones, and repairs.
Some of the most advanced and busiest marinas in Greece are only a few kilometers from the center of Athens. Marina Alimos and Flisvos, on the south coast of Athens, have a combined capacity of over 1,800 vessels.
Spa and hot springs
Greece has 752 termosprings. Many have been classified as therapeutic by the National Institute for Geographical and Mineral Research. Some of them have been known and exploited since antiquity. Hot or curative tours are, after all, one of the earliest forms of tourism in the ancient world. In 1983 the Hellenic Association established Municipalities with Thermal Springs. [1] Some of these ancient "spa resorts" are located in Aidipsos, known from the time of Aristotle, Loutraki, mentioned by Xenophon, Traianoupoli [2], founded by the emperor. Trajan in the 2nd century, while some others were proved in the Byzantine period, such as the Thermal Baths of Langadas [3]. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, these hot springs were surrounded by cosmopolitan facilities, hotels and restaurants, while some prominent members of the Society of Greece and the Ottoman States (for the regions still incorporated therein). invested in tourism infrastructure and private plantations. Thermal tourism became very widespread in the 1960s and 1970s, whereas in the 1980s it was broadly supported by social tourism programs, which subsidized most of the costs for the elderly facility users. Currently, however, there is an urgent need to refurbish, restore and improve this spa to modern standards and create international customers. Visitors, however, have been able to find high-standard tourist facilities in Pozar [4], in Aidipsos [5] and in Kamena Vourla [6], in Loutraki close to Corinth [7] as well as in Kaiafas, on the west coast of the Peloponnese [8]. A detailed list of spa cities in Greece can provide insight into the eternal riches of the country's hot springs.
Cultural attractions
Museum
Greece has become in recent years a destination for ecotourism (especially hiking, canoeing, caving and climbing). The main destinations for skiing in Greece are Arachova, Kalavryta, Karpenisi and Metsovo.
Promote Greek tourism
The government intends to promote winter tourism in Greece, potentially increasing international arrivals even further.
Tourism in Greece is run by the Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) using Helena Paparizou, the famous Greek singer who won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005 as an ambassador. Singer Sakis Rouvas, who represents Greece in the 2009 Eurovision song contest, is currently the ambassador for Greek Tourism.
The ads displayed on the GNTO website are still focused on triptych of sea, sun and sand. However, tourism campaigns are undergoing significant changes as city tourism and conferences are promoted, along with cultural and welfare tourism. of the new campaign is expected to generate an increase in tourist income. The ad name is "You in Greece".
Gallery
See also
- Greek culture
- Greek history
- Greek economy
- Fix the agora
References
External links
- Official Greek tourism website
- Greek travel and sightseeing in Curlie (based on DMOZ)
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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