SETE chief predicts 2024 will be a ‘landmark year’ for Greek tourism
Yiannis Paraschis, president of the Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE) and CEO of Athens International Airport, has predicted that 2024 will be a “landmark year” for Greece’s tourism while cautioning against taking the solid growth of the sector for granted.
During a fireside chat with Skai TV news presenter Sia Kosioni on the second day of the “Reimagine Tourism in Greece” conference at the new Aegean Airlines hangar at the airport on Wednesday, Paraschis emphasized the need for measures to protect the industry’s competitiveness.
“It is clearly a warning bell that trends are changing,” he said when asked about the decrease in tourism revenue this July compared to the same month last year. He said that summer tourism may not be as popular as it once was due to overcrowding and high temperatures.
“But it also indicates that what we experienced, and probably took for granted, after the pandemic – that every year we would do better – is not guaranteed. Therefore, we need to focus on what we call ‘value for money’ in Greek tourism and the overall competitiveness of our offerings,” he added.
“2024 will be a landmark year for tourism, with increases in arrivals and revenue. However, this is not something that is guaranteed for 2025 and beyond,” he said.
‘2024 will be a landmark year for tourism, with increases in arrivals and revenue, but this is not guaranteed for the future’
Paraschis explained that, unlike the rest of Europe, Greek tourism experienced a boom post-pandemic, which has put pressure on infrastructure.
“Europe is struggling this year to recover and reach the tourist traffic levels of 2019. In Greece, we are approximately 25% above those levels. This has created pressure on various systems. There is clearly a concentration in many areas where infrastructure cannot keep up, and we need to invest in it,” he said.
Paraschis highlighted that SETE has called for specific measures in targeted destinations to alleviate some of the pressure and protect the tourism product.
“We at SETE are advocating for specific actions in particular destinations to safeguard the product. In tourism, the degradation of a destination’s functionality for residents and workers directly impacts the tourism experience,” he noted, citing the regulation of cruise ship arrivals as an example.
“We want development in tourism, but we also want sustainable tourism for the future,” Paraschis said, explaining that SETE has invited tourism businesses to participate in a new self-regulation sustainability program.
Organized by Kathimerini and its partners, the “Reimagine Tourism in Greece” conference is an annual event designed to promote sustainable tourism by bringing together leading thinkers, political and business leaders, and key figures in the hospitality industry.
