Nonetheless, some developers had identified
investment opportunities early enough, and are
ready to make their moves. The Dolphin Capital
Investments group is investing
€
30 million in the
creation of a composite tourist accommodation on
the island of Kea, while Locros SA is investing
€
2
billion in the creation of an ITDA in Atalanti. The
competent department of the GNTO has received
many more applications for various types of
investment throughout Greece.
It should, also, be noted that infrastructure proj-
ects, such as the Achillion Megaron in Corfu, the
eco-development park at Lake Kaiafas, the Diros
cave, the Venizelos mansion in Chania, Crete,
the yacht ports in Simi, Volissos (Chios),
Marathokambos (Samos) and Limenaria
(Thasos), the Epikourio Cultural Centre of
Samos, as well as the modernization of the lifts at
the Winter Ski Centre of Parnassus, have been
included in the NSRF. As far as Athens is con-
cerned, the ministry, with the support of NSRF
funds, is promoting the redevelopment of the
Faliron Bay by tendering the relevant projects,
and the creation of a conference centre, which
will house additional venues, such as the National
Opera, the National Library and the Eco Park.
More tourists in 2013
Greece is expected to welcome seventeen million
visitors this year, based on advance-booking
data, as compared to almost 16 million visitors in
2012. As a matter of fact, airlines have already
“booked” one million seats for Greece.
The increase in arrivals is, to a great extent, the
result of a substantial drop in prices –especially
hotel prices– during the past two years, since
Greece has become a champion at lowering
prices.
According to Trivago, the hotel search and infor-
mation website, the average price of an
overnight stay in an Athenian hotel stood at
€
83
last October, ranking Greece’s capital as the 6th
cheapest destination in Europe, from 28th in
2008. That year the average price was
€
127 (a
34.6% reduction), while in 2011 it had dropped
to
€
101.
According to the Trivago ranking of 50 European
cities, the lowest prices per night can be found in
Sofia (
€
67) and Riga (
€
68), while the highest
prices are those in Venice (
€
237), Geneva (
€
250)
and London (
€
206).
In terms of country rankings, Greece showed the
largest decrease in hotel prices (10.5%), which
on average fell to
€
85, bringing Greece to the
fourth place among Europe’s cheapest destina-
tions, behind Bulgaria (
€
63), Romania (
€
68) and
Poland (
€
72). The most expensive countries,
based on on-line prices, are Switzerland
(
€
198/night), Norway (
€
170), France (
€
166) and
Sweden (
€
162).
Trade with Greece
113
For tourists-
visitors, the birth-
place of democra-
cy, philosophy and
humanism may simply be a sunny
place with 15,000 kilometres of
coastline (the longest among
Mediterranean countries) and
a rich history.
“
”
