City of Athens woos French visitors in new campaign

In a bid to lure more French tourists, the City of Athens has embarked on a digital campaign in collaboration with Mastercard to promote the Greek capital in the French market.

The idea behind the campaign – titled “Athens Exclusive Experiences for Mastercard Cardholders” – is to familiarize visitors with the capital and its lesser-known attractions.

Authorities are trying to build on the city’s emerging reputation as a city break destination which since 2013 has seen a significant 648 percent rise in the number of international visitors.

According to the latest data collected by the City of Athens, Athens International Airport and Aegean Airlines, the capital saw a 25 percent rise in international arrivals in the first five months of the year, and 40 percent said they came to Greece to visit Athens, rather than the Greek islands.