Air arrivals from abroad slump 8.8 pct in Q1

International arrivals at Greek airports fell 8.8 percent in the first three months of the year, according to the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises.

The figure fell to 551,442 through March 31, from 604,869 in the year-earlier period, the association said in a statement on its website on Tuesday.

The March decline was 3.8 percent to 209,680.

Thirteen airports providing 95 percent of air arrivals from abroad were surveyed.

Athens International Airport saw a 16 percent drop in the three months, to 352,004.

Traffic at Greece?s biggest airport has slumped as the economic crisis hits travel spending and protests dent Greece?s image abroad, it said in a statement last month.

[Bloomberg]