The Hellenic Republic Hoteliers Federation (POX) has issued a call to Infrastructure & Transport Minister Christos Staikouras to take action in facilitating road tourism. In a letter sent to the minister, POX emphasized the crucial importance of ensuring seamless arrival for road tourists, especially for businesses operating in Northern Greece, where road tourists make up the majority of customers.
The conditions at Greece’s border crossing points have been a cause for concern, as they do not align with the country’s reputation as a leading tourism destination in Europe. Long queues, waiting hours during the peak summer season, and insufficient infrastructure have been leading to inconveniences and bad impressions among international visitors interested in traveling to Greece for holiday purposes.
The Hellenic Hoteliers Federation has already discussed the matter with the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) board of directors and presented recommendations to address the issue. This includes enhancing building facilities, hiring more staff, and planning ahead. The government has also promised to provide funds for improving infrastructure and obtaining necessary supplies.
Northern Greece has seen a significant increase in road arrivals in the 11 months leading up to November 2023, with a 31.6% increase compared to the same period in 2022. The region registered 9.9 million tourists who arrived by road, up from 7.6 million in the corresponding months of the previous year.
The tourism sector contributes significantly to Greece’s economy, with travel receipts reaching €20.115 billion in the period from January until November last year, marking an increase of 15.4% compared to 2022 statistics and a 10% increase compared to 2019 statistics. This development was due to increased receipts from residents of the EU27 and residents outside the EU27.
In an effort to ease heavy tourist traffic, Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria have discussed plans to open land borders between these three countries by summer. These efforts aim to further facilitate road tourism and enhance the overall travel experience for visitors to Greece.
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