Significantly more Russian and German tourists are expected to visit Greece in 2016, according to a Deutsche Welle report.
Egypt and Turkey have been the most popular destinations for Russian tourists. However, after the recent shooting down of a Russian jet fighter by the Turkish Air Force and the crash of the Russian passenger plane in the Sinai Peninsula in October, it is estimated that Russian tourists will choose Greece as an alternative holiday destination in the coming year.
According to the report, two million more tourists mainly from Russia and Germany will come to Greece in 2016.
The total 4.5 million Russians who visit Turkey and Egypt will not all go to Greece due to the significantly higher cost. In addition, the weak ruble will deter many Russians from travelling abroad in 2016.
Also, German tour operators offer more hotels and holiday packages to Greece in 2016 compared to 2015. This is contrary to the pessimistic view expressed by the Greek tourism industry that believes the refugee crisis will affect tourism. For instance, the Kos hoteliers association speaks of a decline in tourism as last summer there were 170,000 cancellations and 7 million euros in lost revenues.
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