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Athens News Agency: News in English, 06-09-27
CONTENTS
[01] Tourist arrivals to rise 10-11% in 2006, report
[01] Tourist arrivals to rise 10-11% in 2006, report
Foreign tourist arrivals to Greece are expected to rise by 10-11
percent this year, Alpha Bank said in a report on Wednesday.
In a weekly economic bulletin, the bank's analysts said they expected
foreign exchange proceeds from tourism to exceed 12 billion euros in
2006, from 11.04 bln in 2005, compared with 11.7 billion euros in
proceeds from the exports of goods (excluding fuel and vessels) and 14
billion euros in proceeds from shipping.
The report based its forecast on figures showing an 8.4-pct increase in
foreign tourist arrivals at the country's 13 largest regional airports
in the first eight months of 2006, compared with the same period last
year. The Dodecanese islands and northern Aegean islands showed the
biggest percentage increases (12.11 pct and 10.72 pct, respectively),
while northern Greece and the Ionian islands rebounded after last
year's negative growth rates.
Alpha Bank's analysts said Attica (the greater Athens area) hotels'
occupancy rates grew in the first seven months of the year, raising
prospects for tourism in the region after the Athens 2004 Olympic
Games.
A file photo of the Acropolis in downtown Athens, the country's
landmark archaeological site. ANA-MPA photo / O. Panagiotou.
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