
A vote of confidence for Greek tourism is the – earlier than any other year – the first for the season direct arrival at “El. Venizelos” flight of an American airline from the USA, said the Minister of Tourism Vassilis Kikilias.
The flight took off from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport and was operated by Delta.
The minister, who welcomed the flight with US Ambassador to Athens Geoffrey Pyatt, said: “We welcome the first direct US flight to Eleftherios Venizelos Airport.” We are very happy that it is very, very early this year and it is a vote of confidence for the country and Greek Tourism “.
The minister pointed out that nine direct flights are planned daily from the US to Greece, “which shows how important is the effort we make – and will be successful – to bring tourists from America to Greece” and thanked the US ambassador for his support.
For his part, Mr. Pyatt stressed that “this will be just the beginning. “We will have a record number of direct flights from the United States this year.”
The American ambassador congratulated the Minister of Tourism, but also the American airline for the first American flight of this tourist year, “for which”, as he said, “we have extremely high expectations”.
“Greece,” he stressed, “has so much to offer. “Spring is a fantastic time of year here, and I’m really excited to have our first direct US flight, earlier than ever.”
Regarding the war in Ukraine, Mr. Pyatt addressed Vassilis Kikilias and said: “I also want to say, Mr. Minister, as we meet in the light of the terrible developments in Ukraine, how much I appreciate your clear statements about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but also for the initiatives of the Ministry of Tourism for jobs in the tourism sector, for the Ukrainian people displaced by the violence in their country.
“So it’s great that we have some good news today that we are focusing on and I am very optimistic that we will see a record number of American tourists coming here to enjoy all that Greece has to offer over the next eight, nine months.”


Latest News

Greek Government Reshuffle Brings in More Young Technocrats
Greek PM Mitsotakis has brought in younger leaders and technocrats in a bid to accelerate the government's efforts at modernization and efficiency, according to New Democracy insiders

Greece’s New Government Members Sworn in at Presidential Mansion
Greece's new government members were sworn in on Saturday morning and head straight to work through the first meeting of the new cabinet.

Moody’s Upgrades Greece to Investment Grade, Ending Crisis Era
The rating agency raised Greece’s long-term credit rating to Baa3 from Ba1, with a stable outlook.

EFET on World Consumer Day: Humanity Faces New Challenges
This year’s message emphasizes the need for a transition to sustainable lifestyles while safeguarding consumers’ legally recognized rights. This means ensuring access to essential goods such as food and energy, as well as health and safety.

Athens Hotels Lead Europe in Value Growth for Third Year
Over the entire period from 2015 to 2024, the average annual increase in hotel value was 6.1%.

Unemployment Rate in Greece Down 8.9% in January: IOBE
The unemployment rate in Greece recorded a further decline in January 2025, reaching 8.9%, according to the latest Foundation for Economic & Industrial Research (IOBE) report.

Demand for Short Term Rentals in Greece Surges Ahead of Easter
Among the most popular Easter destinations from Good Friday to Easter Monday are Corfu, Hydra, the Peloponnese, Ioannina, Patmos, Loutra Edipsou, Kavala, Thassos, and Pelion

Opposition Reacts Strongly to Greek Government Reshuffle
PASOK's spokesperson, Kostas Tsoukalas, characterized the reshuffle as a clear indication of Mitsotakis' "strategic deadlock."

Greece’s Economy Awaits Moody’s Verdict on Investment-Grade Rating
The stock market has reflected strong performance, with the general index showing resilience and a lack of inward-looking caution.

Greek PM Reshuffles Cabinet after No-Confidence Vote
The most notable changes in the Greek cabinet reshuffle include Kostis Hatzidakis being appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Kyriakos Pierrakakis taking over as Minister of National Economy and Finance.