Statistics

UK spending in Greece increases in 2015

The overall number of tourist visitors to Greece reached 26 million in 2015, an increase of 5.6 per cent compared to 2014, according to data from the Bank of Greece. Travel receipts from UK visitors rose by 30.1 per cent to 2,020 million euros. For more information, please see here.

Passenger arrivals on the rise for Q1 of 2016

The first three months of 2016 saw a total of 5.7 million passengers pass through Greek airports, an increase of 16.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2015. According to data from the Civil Aviation Authority, Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Chania and Rhodes received the most passengers. Athens had its highest number of February arrivals with 1.07 million passengers, an increase of 18.2 per cent on February 2015. For more information, please see here and here.

Destination News

ITV Drama The Durrells showcases Corfu to the UK

Based on Gerald Durrell's trilogy of Corfu memoirs, including 'My Family and Other Animals', the six-part ITV series began earlier in April, showcasing the beautiful island to UK viewers. Set in 1935, the show was filmed in various parts of Corfu including Danilia, the picture-perfect traditional village owned by Grecotel Hotels & Resorts and available for guests to stay. Double rooms at Grecotel Corfu Imperial start from £126 (B&B).

Sunvil has also added The White House on Corfu, where the Durrells lived in the 1930s, to its 2016 programme. Seven nights B&B in the four bedroom apartment costs from £799pp (based on two sharing) including return flights from Gatwick. A second series of The Durrells has been commissioned with filming taking place later in the year on Corfu. For more information, please see here.

Kos unveils new tourism campaign

The south Aegean region has announced the launch of a new tourism campaign for the Greek island of Kos entitled 'Kos Made of Summer'. The aim of the strategy is to promote the tourism offerings and activities available on the island. With a coastline of over 290km, Kos has a plethora of beautiful beaches to entice visitors including the white sands of Mylos Beach. Travellers could also step back in time with a trip to the ruins of Asklepieion. For more information, please see here.

Greece wins two cultural heritage awards

Greece has received two conservation prizes at the 2016 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage/Europa Nostra Awards. The conservation work for the Byzantine Church of St. Peter in Kastania and the traditional Watermill in Agios Germanos were recognised. For more information, please see here.

New Flights / Openings

New flights to Chania with Norwegian

Norwegian Airlines has launched a new flight from Gatwick to Chania in Crete. The airline will fly three times a week with direct flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Fares will start from £29.90. Chania, on the island of Crete, is one of the most picturesque cities in Greece, with the old town built around a Venetian port. For more information, please see here.

Recently refurbished hotel unveiled in Kefalonia

Offering stunning sea views and just a five minute drive from the sandy beaches of Skala, the refurbished Blue Jasmine Hotel is new to the UK market in 2016 offering 12 suites for an adults-only escape. Ideal for those who prefer a calmer, more grown-up holiday experience, the suites are well-located for exploring the island, including the picture-perfect harbor of Fiscardo and the enchanting fortress of Assos. Blue Jasmine Hotel is sold through Simpson Travel with one week B&B available from £588pp. For more information, please see here.

Miraggio Thermal Spa set to open its doors in May

Located at the top of the Kassandra peninsula in Halkidiki, northern Greece, Miraggio Thermal Spa is a brand new luxury resort featuring 300 luxurious suites and rooms, a state-of-the-art Thermal Spa, ten cosmopolitan restaurants and bars, a super-yacht marina and conference centre. The thermal spa features seven modern treatment rooms, a thermal water pool with hydrotherapy jets and experienced therapists. For more information, please see here and here.

New fully-serviced villas unveiled on Mykonos

The Greek tourism and property management company Blueground has opened a new collection of fully-serviced villas on the island of Mykonos. The high-end villas aim to offer rates and services comparable to group/family stays in hotels, while offering the extra space, privacy and overall quality of a villa. For more information, please see here and here.

Sport

Olympic Torch begins its journey in Greece

With the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games fast approaching (5 – 21 August), the Olympic Torch will begin its journey from Greece to Brazil this month. It will start in ancient Olympia in the Peloponnese on 21 April and will finish at the Athens' Panathenian Stadium on 27 April after travelling around Greece. The torch will then journey to Brazil where 10,000 torchbearers will carry it through Brazil's 26 states to Rio. For more information, please see here.

The Skiathos Palace Cup returns

The Skiathos Palace Cup will return between 6-8 May, inviting 12 sailing teams to compete around the picturesque island in the Aegean Sea. Koukounaries beach on Skiathos, repeatedly voted as one of Europe's most beautiful beaches, will be hosting the event. The race is part of the efforts by the island's nautical club to establish Skiathos as a leading sailing and yachting destination, while further events and courses will take place throughout the year. For more information, please see here.

Register now for the Navarino Challenge 2016

The multi award-winning Navarino Challenge will return to Messinia in the Peloponnese region for another weekend of sporting events including swimming and running. Organized in collaboration with the Costa Navarino resort, the non-competitive event aims to raise awareness about the benefits of healthy living, exercise and the Mediterranean diet. For more information, please see here.

And Finally…

The best bookstore in the world…is in Greece

Atlantis Books in Oia, Santorini, has been named the best bookstore in world according to National Geographic's book 'Destinations of a Lifetime'. The book praised the store's ideal location by the shore and its calendar of activities throughout the year including hosted readings on the terrace, bookbinding classes, and food and film festivals. For more information, please see here.

-Ends-

For further press information, please contact: Tim Thackray, Lotus UK, T: 020 7953 7470 E: Tim@wearelotus.co.uk or Panos Papadopoulos, Greek National Tourism Organisation, GNTO UK & Ireland Office, T: 020 74959311, E: pr@gnto.co.uk