The Institute of Tourism Research and Forecasting (Itep) chairman Professor Dionyssis Hionis told ANA-MPA that a 4.5 percent increase in tourism revenue is forecasted for 2011. This represents a 1% increase in GDP, and entails for a rise in employment, although it is still early to make specific predictions.
At this time, early bookings in hotels have posted a 3% increase over last year, although, he added, in the “good years” for Greek tourism, early bookings approached 25%.
Hionis anticipated that the unrest in Egypt will also give a boost to the tourist wave to Greece, with tour operators already in preperation.
Hellenic Hotels Federation president Andreas Andreadis also anticipated a substantial increase in tourist arrivals of “a high single-digit or low double-digit” percentage.
He added that early bookings from Britain have marked a 7-9% increase over last year, while interest was also high from countries such as Russia, France and Italy.
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