Greece airport sees rise in foreign guests at summer

ATHENS - Reuters

Tourism accounts for about 17 percent of output and one in five jobs in Greece. REUTERS photo

Nearly 2 million foreign visitors flew to Greece’s main airport during the summer season, data showed yesterday, a boost for the Mediterranean country which relies on tourism to help pull itself out of an economic crisis.

The 6.5 percent rise in May through August compared to last year is in line with forecasts by tourism officials who expect a record 17 million visitors this year, 1 million more than in 2012.

Nearly 70 percent more tourists from the United Arab Emirates visited the country this summer compared to last year, data from the Athens International Airport showed.

Twenty-two percent were from countries outside the European Union, with 44 percent more Swiss and 27 percent more Turkish tourists visiting the country.