Disappointing rise in tourism arrivals up to end-May

The number of international holidaymakers who traveled to Greece in the January-May period was up just 2.4 percent on last year, data from the country’s central bank have shown, with arrivals from the United States sliding 18.2 percent and receipts from US tourists shrinking by a remarkable 30.8 percent.

Greece fared better in terms of arrivals from France and Germany, as there were 20.8 percent more German tourists, leading to a 14.4 percent rise in revenues from that market, and 13.7 percent more French visitors, who spent 19.4 percent more.

That meager rise in arrivals compared with a 17.6 percent jump in visitors to Cyprus, and a 10.4 percent increase in visitors to Spain.

Even Turkey fared better in percentage terms, seeing its arrivals figures chalk up a 5.5 percent year-on-year rise in the first five months of 2017.