February 2016

UK arrivals to Greece increase in 2015

Arrivals to Greece from the UK grew by 14.6% between January - November 2015 compared to the same period in 2014 according to the latest figures from The Bank of Greece. Total arrivals from all countries to Greece increased by 7.5% during the same period. Overall tourism spend from January - November increased by 6% compared to the year before with an increase of 31% in tourism spend from the UK.

Corfu named as one of the top ten cheapest destinations for UK tourists

Corfu has shown year-on-year price falls in the Post Office Travel Money's Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer and features in the top 10 best value destinations for UK holidaymakers. Corfu is a new entry, rising to 10th place from 14th last year on the strength of lower meal prices, which have helped to make the Greek island over 19% cheaper than a year ago. For more information please see here.

Athens among Top 25 Meeting Destinations in Europe

Athens has been named 19th in a list of the leading top 25 meeting destinations across Europe according to event management software firm Cvent. The report assessed more than 234,000 hotels, resorts and special event venues in 2,500 European cities between July 2015 and June 2015. The report noted that competition between cities was fierce with smaller markets investing in meetings and event travel to lure customers away from established meeting destinations. For more information, please see here.

Sitia airport in Crete opened its doors

Named after the renowned Cretan poet, Sitia Airport 'Vitsentzos Kornaros' was officially inaugurated by Transport and Infrastructure Minister Christos Spirtzis earlier in January. Located approximately 1km from the city centre and Sitia port, the new airport, which initially started operations in July 2015, can facilitate international and domestic flights, small and medium-sized planes, as well as charter flights and private aircrafts. Regional authorities expect the Vitsentzos Kornaros Airport to boost the local economy, create new jobs and further promote Crete as a favourite tourism destination. For more information, please see here.

NEON announces collaboration with the Marina Abramović Institute for a New Participatory Performance Project in Athens

Contemporary art organisation NEON and Marina Abramović Institute (MAI) have announced a major cultural collaboration taking place in the Benaki Museum in Athens from 10 March – 24 April 2016. The six-week immersive art program will comprise a participatory project for the public based on the Abramović Method, in conjunction with a parallel program of Performance and Immaterial Art called NEON-MAI Lab. The Abramović Method is a series of exercises designed by the artist over the course of 40 years to explore and push the boundaries of body and mind. The Lab will present durational works, conversations, workshops and lectures together with emerging Greek performance artists who were personally selected by Abramović. Through this collaboration, NEON's biggest and most ambitious project to date, it seeks to help foster a new generation of performance artists in Greece, whilst providing a unique interactive cultural experience for the Greek public. For more information, please see here.

Greek jewellery exhibition in Athens International Airport

Travellers and visitors to Athens International Airport (AIA) Eleftherios Venizelos will be able to admire the exceptional work of Greek jewellery designers at the new 'Sheltering Sky' exhibition. The exhibition recently opened in the 'Art and Culture' section of the airport and will showcase an impressive collection of creations from 33 Greek jewellery designers and well-known brands until March 30 2016. The exhibition is open daily to the public from 7am till 11 pm. For more information please see here.

International Dance Festival to take place in April 2016

Thessaloniki Dance Festival (TDF), the largest festival of competitive dancing in Greece, will take place for the second consecutive year in Thessaloniki from 9-10 April 2016. The festival will feature more than 1,000 dancers from 33 countries and 28 international judges. Six dance competitions will take place during the two days of the festival taking including ballroom, hip hop, salsa, Argentinian tango, contemporary and oriental. The festival will take place at the I. Vellidis Congress Hall and the Thessaloniki International Exhibition Center. The event is organised by the National Dance Sport Federation of Greece and the World Dance Sport Federation. For more information please see here.

Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas included in National Geographic's 'Unique Lodges of the World'

A second Greek hotel has been included in National Geographic's 'Unique Lodges of the World' roundup, a collection of boutique hotels around the world who have demonstrated a commitment to sustainability, authenticity and excellence. Aristi Mountain Resort & Villas is the second resort in Greece and second in Europe to be included in this global collection of hotels and lodges since its launch in January 2015. Located in the town of Aristi, the resort offers a truly authentic experience reflecting the character of the Zagori region. For more information please see here.

Destsetters unveil new campaign to promote Greece as an LGBT destination

Destsetters, a well-known travel platform focusing on the LGBT market, has announced a new campaign to promote Greece as a top gay destination and to increase awareness among international LGBT travellers. The campaign will feature more than 200 hotels in Greece, targeting the niche markets of luxury, gastronomy and wellness. Destsetters will promote Greece during peak season as the hottest holiday destination for LGBT travellers. For more information please see here.

Yahoo includes Greece in its Top Cruise Destinations list

Greece has been named in Yahoo's top ten cruise destinations for 2016 with popular stops such as Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu and Patmos appealing to the modern day cruise passenger. The cruise industry is a major player in the travel business, with an increasing number of younger travellers keen on trying a cruise for the first time. The islands of Greece offer the perfect opportunity for island hopping and Greece has become a staple of Mediterranean itineraries for both large and small cruise companies. 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