Statistics

Bookings to Greece on the rise

The latest data from GFK has shown a three percent increase in bookings to Greece from the UK in the year to April 2016. From May 2015 to April 2016, a total of 924,750 bookings to Greece were made from the UK, a rise from 895,255 in the same period last year. For more information on what to see and do in Greece, please see here.

Increase in passenger numbers at Athens Airport

The first four months of 2016 saw passenger levels at Athens International Airport reach new highs. A record 4.92 million passengers passed through the airport from January to April 2016, a rise of 11 per cent compared to the same period in 2015. In total 49,393 flights passed through the airport during the said period, a year-on-year rise of 7.2 percent. For more information, please see here.

Destination News

Greek tourism receives funding boost from the EU

Greece will receive a €112 million funding boost for three tourism projects as part of the Juncker Plan, initiated by European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to kick-start growth in the EU. The financial backing will help Greece modernise and develop the Caiaphas thermal baths in the region of Elis, upgrade the Parnassos Ski Centre at Mount Parnassos and convert the former Tae Kwon Do Hall on the Attica coastline into a congress centre.

Substantial infrastructure support will also be funded, including the construction of two intercity bus terminals in Eleonas and Egaleo in Athens. For more information, please see here.

MSC Orchestra chooses Piraeus as home port for 2016

The MSC Cruises Orchestra has chosen Piraeus as its home port for 2016. The cruise ship holds 3,223 passengers and 1,250 crew members and will call at Piraeus every Thursday before travelling to Corfu, Kotor in Montenegro, Venice and Bari in Italy, Katakolo in western Peloponnese and Santorini until October. The announcement follows two months after Carnival also announced Piraeus as the home port for its Carnival Vista vessel for the summer season. Located 12km from the centre of Athens, the port is a popular stop on Mediterranean cruises. For more information, please see here and here.

Aegean launches closer to Greece initiative

Aegean Airlines has announced a new initiative, 'Closer to Greece', with the aim of promoting the country's unique destinations. Each month will be dedicated to one or more Greek destinations with a series of events in co-operation with local food producers. Local delicacies will be served in the Aegean lounges, as well as during flights in a campaign aiming to promote the varied and exciting produce of the country. For more information, please see here.

New Flights / Openings

BA launches direct flights to Kalamata

New flights from Heathrow to the Peloponnese town of Kalamata launched earlier this month with British Airways. The airline expects to fly over 10,000 travellers to the region with its new direct flights. Kalamata provides a great base to explore the Peloponnese region, a landscape of mountains, gorges, sandy beaches, crystal blue waters and also home to several high end resorts and spas as well as smaller boutique hotels. For more information on the destination, please see here.

Grace Santorini reopens after extensive refurbishments

The luxury, boutique hotel Grace Santorini reopened in early May following extensive enhancements for the summer season. A new champagne lounge, '363', has been added to the property, providing breath-taking views of the Caldera from its location 363m above sea level. To meet the demands of the modern traveller, new yoga and Pilates studios have been built with complimentary yoga sessions offered twice daily. The rooms have also been refurbished, featuring an in-room bar complete with a cocktail making kit. For more information, please see here.

Events

The Athens and Epidaurus Festival, June - August 2016

The annual festival, which has been running for more than 50 years, is one of the most famous festivals in Greece featuring open-air theatre, opera, classical music and dance performances held in venues across Athens and at Epidaurus in the Peloponnese. The festival is best-known for its ancient venues at the Epidaurus amphitheater and Athens' 2nd Century BC Odeon of Herodes Atticus, formed out of the rocky southern slope of Acropolis Hill. The 2016 summer programme was announced last week. For more information, please see here.

Sport

Syros 1st TRIMORE Triathlon, 10 - 12 June

The island of Syros, the capital of the Cyclades, has announced the 1st TRIMORE Triathlon, taking place from 10 - 12 June. The event aims to encourage more young people to get involved with sports and to attract visitors to the island during the early summer season by showcasing its clear waters and mesmerising scenery. A special kid's programme of events will run alongside the adult races. For more information, please see here.

The Nemean Games, 10 - 12 June

The sixth modern revival of the Nemean Games will take place in Ancient Nemea from 10 - 12 June 2016. Over 1,500 participants from Greece and 25 other countries will have the chance to compete on the same ground as the ancient Greeks 2,300 years ago. The games hope to bring the competiveness and unity of the Olympic Games to the average person. Nemean Games holiday packages are available from Sunvil Holidays. For more information, please see here.

Zagori Mountain Running, 22 – 24 July

The sixth edition of The North Face Zagori Mountain Running event will take place from 22 – 24 July 2016 giving adventure enthusiasts the chance to test their endurance in beautiful surroundings. Athletes and nature lovers from around the world will have the opportunity to run the races of 80km, 42km, 21km, and 10km, trying their strength in the picturesque but challenging landscapes of Mt Tymfi, Vikos Gorge and the Zagoria villages in Epirus. 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