by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:05 AM ET, Mon November 15, 2021
Government officials in Greece announced that tourism numbers through August have reached around 50 percent of the totals seen in 2019 before the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Reuters.com, Greek tourism minister Vassilis Kikilias reported the country saw arrivals increase by 79.2 percent and spending jumped by 135.7 percent between January and August when compared to the same period in 2020.
In total, Greece's tourism industry reached half of 2019 levels in the first eight months of 2021, putting the travel sector's recovery in line with the government's projection earlier in the year of between 40-50 percent of 2019 revenues.
In 2020, just seven million visitors arrived in Greece, spending only four billion euros, while the country saw record numbers in 2019 with 33 million arrivals bringing in 18 billion euros.
Kikilias believes Greece is on track to "achieve receipts of more than 10 billion euros."
The nation reopened to international travel in may ahead of the typically busy summer travel season, and Kikilias said a "growing number of foreign visitors" entered the country through the summer months.
Kikilias also revealed September, October and November were "busy months."
Last month, the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) acknowledged the Greek government for the safe reopening of international tourism this year. WTTC Communications Executive Elena Corina Rodriguez said Greece established a safe travel environment for visitors.
In August, the country's Ministry of Health said citizens and tourists arriving in the country via plane, train, boat or long-distance bus must now show proof of vaccination, coronavirus recovery or a negative test taken within 48 hours of arrival.
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