Government spokesperson Yiannis Economou in a post on Twitter on Wednesday referred to the need to record the local biodiversity of 20 archaeological sites throughout Greece, ANA reports."With a plan, we proceed to the recording and protection of the rare biodiversity of twenty archaeological sites throughout the country through a planning contract of a total budget of 258,500 euros for an 18-month period" he stressed. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Georgios Karabelas Adblock test (Why?)

The restoration works to the lower side of Syntagma square in central Athens are almost concluded by the municipality of Athens with the largest part being ready and accessible to the city's residents and visitors, ANA reports.The totally fresh look of the lower part of the square preserves its historic characteristics but in parallel is interconnected with the modern way of living facilitating the social life of the capital and the Athenians' need for a friendly, accessible, and sustainable city. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: A.Savin Adblock test (Why?)

Greek Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias had consecutive meetings on Tuesday evening with the Ambassadors of Sweden Johan Borgstam and Norway Frode Overland Andersen in the context of the implemented strategy for the extension of the tourism period in Greece, ANA reports.He explained why targeting the North European people that have retired is based on the logic that the cold starts early, even in September, in their countries, so the Scandinavians, the Germans even the French could stay in Greece in the autumn and early winter combining the practical with pleasure as the amount they would spend in their countries would be higher than the accommodation cost in Greece.The Ambassador of Sweden characterized interesting this alternative proposal for the extension of holidays noting that in his country the heating is electric and the electricity bill for a middle-class family in December is about 1,900 euros.On his part, the Ambassador of Norway said that it is also a very good idea to attract those that have not retired yet but are at an age that their children have grown up and have left the family house, so in this period of their lives they want to travel even for a weekend of four days if they are still working. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Adblock test (Why?)

Even record-busting tourist arrivals and big spending during the lingering COVID-19 pandemic that swelled state coffers hasn’t been enough to assuage worry that Greece’s economy can sustain state subsidies to deal with soaring inflation. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that his New Democracy government, which poured more than 17.5 billion euros ($17.82 billion) into aid for workers and businesses during lockdowns, will “continue to exhaust the fiscal margins of the state budget in order to support citizens to cope with this ‘invasion’ of imported inflation and the impact it is having.” He was speaking from the Ionian island of Kefalonia and said the Greek economy “is growing rapidly, largely as a result of the excellent tourist traffic and the significant investments made in our country” said Kathimerini. But he added, “We are facing very strong winds, which are creating a great degree of insecurity in the global economy. “The cost of living and inflation are phenomena that are global, they are also hitting the Greek economy, they are also nibbling away at the Greek disposable income,” he also said. Read more at thenationalherald.com RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Adblock test (Why?)

British Museum Deputy Director Jonathan Williams has proposed a “Parthenon partnership” to loan back to Greece the Parthenon Marbles that were stolen more than 200 years ago – on condition they are returned. That was similar to earlier proposals that went nowhere, with Greece not wanting to cede ownership under such a deal, and he said vehemently that the Marbles will not be given to Greece permanently. “We will loan the sculptures, as we do many other objects, to those who wish to display them to other public around the world, provided they will look after them and return them,” he said in an interview with the British Sunday Times. “The sculptures are an absolutely integral part of the British Museum,” Williams added. “They have been here over 200 years.” But he added that, “We want to change the temperature of the debate,” to offer a loan only. “We need to find a way forward around the cultural exchange of a level, intensity, and dynamism which has not been conceived hitherto. There are many wonderful things we’d be delighted to borrow and lend. It is what we do,” Williams added. Williams said he wants “An active ‘Parthenon partnership’ with our friends and colleagues in Greece. I firmly believe there is space for a really dynamic and positive conversation within which new ways of working together can be found.” There was no initial indication whether the New Democracy government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis would accept those terms although he earlier had offered to loan the British Museum other Greek treasures for the marbles. The Parthenon Project campaign group said: “We need a forward-looking, mutually beneficial agreement, in the form of a cultural partnership between Greece and Britain. This would see the Parthenon Sculptures permanently return to their rightful home in Athens and other wonderful Greek objects displayed in Britain for the first time, making sure this exchange works for both sides.” The sculptures – 17 figures and part of a frieze that decorated the 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple on the Acropolis – were taken by Scottish diplomat Lord Elgin in the early 19th Century when he was the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire. Forbes magazine Guy Martin wrote that “The cultural administrators and ruling politicians of Greece, do not seem to have had the chance to hear from the museum nor to state their own preferences.” He added that “There are many objects in the museum’s collection whose provenance is not (yet) under dispute, and there is certainly no suggestion in the Times article or elsewhere that the British Museum is anywhere close to having the crate-builders in or booking the ship,” for the marbles return. Read more at thenationalherald.com RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Solipsist~commonswiki Adblock test (Why?)

international tourism continues to show signs of a strong and steady recovery from the impact of the pandemic despite significant mounting economic and geopolitical challenges. According to the latest UNWTO World Tourism Barometer, international tourism saw a strong rebound in the first five months of 2022, with almost 250 million international arrivals recorded. This compares to 77 million arrivals from January to May 2021 and means that the sector has recovered almost half (46%) of pre-pandemic 2019 levels. “The recovery of tourism has gathered pace in many parts of the world, weathering the challenges standing in its way”, said UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili. At the same time, he also advises caution in view of the “economic headwinds and geopolitical challenges which could impact the sector in the remainder of 2022 and beyond”. Europe and Americas lead recoveryEurope welcomed more than four times as many international arrivals as in the first five months of 2021 (+350%), boosted by strong intra-regional demand and the removal of all travel restrictions in a growing number of countries. The region saw particularly robust performance in April (+458%), reflecting a busy Easter period. In the Americas, arrivals more than doubled (+112%). However, the strong rebound is measured against weak results in 2021 and arrivals remain overall 36% and 40% below 2019 levels in both regions, respectively. The same pattern is seen across other regions. The strong growth in the Middle East (+157%) and Africa (+156%) remained 54% and 50% below 2019 levels respectively, and Asia and the Pacific almost doubled arrivals (+94%). However, numbers were 90% below 2019, as some borders remained closed to non-essential travel. Here, the recent easing of restrictions shows improved results for April and May. Looking at subregions, several have recovered between 70% and 80% of their pre-pandemic levels, led by the Caribbean and Central America, followed by Southern Mediterranean, Western and Northern Europe. It is noteworthy that some destinations surpassed 2019 levels, including US Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, the Republic of Moldova, Albania, Honduras, and Puerto Rico. Tourism spending is also risingRising tourism spending out of the significant source markets is consistent with the observed recovery. International expenditure by tourists from France, Germany, Italy, and the United States is now at 70% to 85% of pre-pandemic levels, while spending from India, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar has already exceeded 2019 levels. In terms of international tourism receipts earned in destinations, a growing number of countries - the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Seychelles, Romania, North Macedonia, Saint Lucia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania, Pakistan, Sudan, Türkiye, Bangladesh, El Salvador, Mexico, Croatia, and Portugal – have fully recovered their pre-pandemic levels. Defying mounting challengesStrong demand during the Northern Hemisphere summer season is expected to consolidate these positive results, particularly as more destinations ease or lift travel restrictions. As of 22 July, 62 destinations (of which 39 in Europe) had no COVID-19-related restrictions in place and an increasing number of destinations in Asia have started to ease theirs. According to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the overall reduction in international air capacity in 2022 will be limited to 20% to 25% of airlines' seats compared to 2019. Such resilience is also reflected in hotel occupancy rates. Based on data from the industry benchmarking firm STR, global occupancy rates climbed to 66% in June 2022, from 43% in January.   However, stronger than expected demand has created significant operational and workforce challenges, while the war in Ukraine, rising inflation and interest rates, as well as fears of an economic slowdown, continue to pose a risk to recovery. The International Monetary Fund points to a global economic slowdown from 6.1% in 2021 to 3.2% in 2022 and then to 2.9% in 2023. At the same time, UNWTO continues to work closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to monitor the pandemic as well as emerging public health emergencies and their potential impact on travel. Regional Scenarios for 2022UNWTO’s forward-looking scenarios published in May 2022 point to international arrivals reaching 55% to 70% of pre-pandemic levels in 2022. Results depend on evolving circumstances, mostly changing travel restrictions, ongoing inflation, including high energy prices, overall economic conditions, the evolution of the war in Ukraine, as well as the health situation related to the pandemic. More recent challenges such as staff shortages, severe airport congestion, and flight delays and cancellations could also impact international tourism numbers. Scenarios by region show Europe and the Americas recording the best tourism results in 2022, while Asia and the Pacific is expected to lag behind due to more restrictive travel policies. International tourist arrivals in Europe could climb to 65% or 80% of 2019 levels in 2022, depending on various conditions, while in the Americas they could reach 63% to 76% of those levels. In Africa and the Middle East arrivals could reach about 50% to 70% of pre-pandemic levels, while in Asia and the Pacific they would remain at 30% of 2019 levels in the best-case scenario, due to stricter policies and restrictions. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Adblock test (Why?)

At least 16,000 people visit the ancient site of the Acropolis every day, Culture & Sports Minister Lina Mendoni said on Monday, ANA reports. The minister was visiting the Acropolis with Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias. Their visit began at the site's dedicated entrance for people with mobility issues. Tourists' visits to the Acropolis started early this year, in March, Mendoni added, who are mostly US nationals, and whose numbers have reached pre-pandemic levels, such as the figures recorded in 2019, she stressed. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source:  Athens Walking Tours Adblock test (Why?)

The Greek government will launch a program to subsidize the purchase of e-vehicles in the framework of a strategy to promote the use of electric cars in the country, ANA reports.Environment and Energy Minister Costas Skrekas and the secretary-general of Energy Alexandra Sdoukou announced that the platform for submitting applications will open on Thursday adding that the subsidy for individuals reached 30 percent on the retail price of a vehicle (pre-tax), while an additional subsidy was offered for the purchase of a home charger or the withdrawal of an old car.  RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Michael Movchin Adblock test (Why?)

Electric aircraft to be acquired by Aria Hotels, one of the hospitality subsidiaries of the Libra Group, will offer a new traveling experience in Greece, according to greekreporter.com. Beginning around 2026 and in partnership with LCI Aviation, a sister company within the Libra Group, Aria Hotels will provide holiday-goers vacationing in and around its fifty properties across Greece with access to electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) to traverse Greece and its exceptional islands. This paradigm-shifting technology enables guests to travel in a sustainable, time-efficient, and economical fashion, which is net-carbon zero, helping to protect the stunning ecosystem, Aria Hotels says in the announcement. LCI, also a subsidiary of the Libra Group, recently signed a deal with BETA Technologies (BETA), the developer of a fully integrated electric aviation system, to acquire up to 125 of the company’s eVTOL aircraft. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: pixabay.com Adblock test (Why?)

A faithful copy of the stunning Aphrodite of Milos statue was unveiled recently on the Greek island of Milos from where it was taken by the French, according to greekreporter.com. The copy is placed at the archeological site near the same place where the original was discovered more than 200 years ago. The Aphrodite of Milos or The Venus de Milo, changed the western culture in the 19th century, establishing new standards of female beauty. Aphrodite—the goddess of love for ancient Greeks—had been depicted by artists of that time as a woman of outstanding beauty. The Venus de Milo statue, which is one of the most beautiful interpretations of the goddess, is believed to be the work of ancient sculptor Alexandros of Antioch. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: InSapphoWeTrust Adblock test (Why?)