The cruise ship sector in Greece appears to be following in the path opened by the soaring flight arrivals in the country, as a further 1 million passengers are estimated to arrive at Greek ports, thus surpassing the 8-million mark, breaking every prior record based on the data of cruise ship reservations in Greek ports for 2024.
These estimates reflect a rise of about 10% in arrivals and about a 15% increase in the number of passengers expected at our ports this year. According to data from the Hellenic Ports Association (ELIME), 2023 was an outstanding year for cruising in Greece, surpassing every historical precedent in total passenger arrivals.
Specifically, in 49 Greek ports, total cruise ship arrivals amounted to 5,230, and the number of passengers reached 7,003,150. This means an additional 450 ship arrivals with 2,373,500 passengers compared to 2022. Similarly, on a percentage basis, 2023 saw an increase of 9.41% in cruise ship arrivals and a 51.26% increase in passenger numbers compared to 2022.
These play a significant role in the growth of numerous sectors in both local communities and the national economy, as a whole. As Maria Deligianni, the representative in Greece of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), points out to “NEA”, in 2022, total revenue for the Greek economy from the sector exceeded 1.4 billion euros compared to 1.1 billion euros a year earlier.
In more detail, arrivals via cruise ships contributed significantly to the local economies of the island of Mykonos in 2023, as an additional 506,904 passengers arrived (+73.90%), in Santorini 472,366 (+57.15%), in the seaside town of Katakolo located in western Peloponnese 139,360 (+55.57%), etc.
The largest port of Greece, Piraeus, unsurprisingly, maintains the top spot in terms of the number of cruise passengers, with approximately 1,500,000 passengers (619,514 more passengers compared to 2022, an increase of 70.37%), followed by Santorini with 1,298,968 passengers, Mykonos with 1,192,822 passengers, and then Corfu, Rhodes, Katakolo, and Heraklion.
Regarding ship arrivals, Santorini holds the first place with 800 arrivals, followed by Piraeus with 760, Mykonos with 749, and then Rhodes, Corfu, Heraklion, and Patmos.
The surge in the cruise market is because Greece is now considered a popular destination, as George Koumpenas, President of the Union of Greek Cruise Shipowners and Maritime Agencies (EEKFN) notes.
He estimates that cruising will record an upward trend in the coming years, adding that measures need to be taken urgently for the upcoming season to manage ship calls better and reinforce infrastructure so that the benefits can be maximized for local communities and the Greek economy, as a whole.
Source: tovima.com
στο Google News και μάθετε πρώτοι όλες τις ειδήσειςLatest News
Greek Driver Violations at a Touch of a Button
Traffic offences recorded in the last five years by Greece’s “Driver Behavior Control System” are now available on Gov.gr Wallet
Milan Tops List of Most Expensive Streets, Athens’ Ermou Holds Steady at 15th Place
In Athens, following Ermou Street is the southern suburb of Glyfada and Tsimiski Street in Thessaloniki.
New Gov.gr Service Enables Secure Reporting of Minor-Related Delinquency
It should also be noted that via the recently introduced initiative ‘Safe Youth’ application citizens have access to specially tailored informative material regarding the safety of children and adolescents
Thousands Strike in Athens Over Soaring Living Costs and Stagnant Wages
Inflation, particularly in food prices, has been crushing Greek households
Greece Overhauls Property Valuation System
Greece plans to launch a revamped property value registry in 2025 and overhaul the way objective values are calculated to enhance tax revenue and improve transparency.
Greece’s New Tax Bill Foresees Tax Relief Beyond Big Business
Tax relief measures in Greece are proposed for freelancers, property owners and farmers, along with 'big business'
Unions Call Nationwide Industrial Strike for Wed.
Mass transits are usually affected, especially in the greater Athens-Piraeus area, although bus and metro services are curtailed but not fully halted
Yannis Vardinoyannis Assumes Post of Motor Oil Board President
He succeeds his father, Vardis, who passed away last week at the age of 91
PM Mitsotakis to Bloomberg: Our Majority Is Stable, Elections To Be Held in 2027
"The government has a solid 2.5-year mandate from the people to implement its policies," Mitsotakis stated
Greek Economy Shows Resilience, Consumer Confidence Remains a Challenge
Therefore, there is need for policy interventions in order to boost demand, stabilize the labor market and support industrial production
![ΗΠΑ: Στρατηγικό σχέδιο για τριπλασιασμό της παραγωγής πυρηνικής ενέργειας έως το 2050 [γράφημα]](https://www.ot.gr/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/nuclear-power-4021418_1280-90x90.jpg)
