Tourist agents operating in Crete have expressed their concern for the reduced spending power of Russian tourists visiting the Greek island this year.
The devaluation of the ruble and the general turmoil prevailing in the region have resulted in Russian tourists choosing cheaper tourist packages and spending less for their holidays.
The Russian market was the mainstay of the local tourism in recent years and its decline has largely influenced the course of this year’s tourist activity in the island.
The German, French and British markets present a steady course, however, according to tourist agents, despite their high spending power, the tourists of these countries never spend much for holidays.
Despite the optimism prevailing at the beginning of the summer season and the belief that the Greek tourism will hit a record high, expectations were proven wrong and businessmen operating in the tourism sector feel disappointed. At the same time, hotel occupancy in Crete has reached 85%.
It appears that the rise of tourism sector won’t reach previous year’s levels since even the increased number of cruises cannot reverse the negative climate.
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