Greece capitalising from 2004 Olympics
The Olympic Games held in Athens in 2004 and their success gave Greece a new dynamic development, with capitalisation of that success still going on today in many sectors of the economy, Tourism Development Minister Petralia said Tuesday.
The minister added that the 2004 Games were a landmark for Greece’s tourism sector, as the Olympics again placed Greece on the global tourism map.
Petralia said better exploitation of the country’s international image after the Games has had as a measurable impact on the number of tourists choosing Greece, with an increase in tourism of 5.6 % in 2005 and 8.44 % in 2006 (when tourist arrivals reached a record 15.7 million) while the increase in 2007 was anticipated at nearly 10 %.
In addition, there was also an increase in tourism revenues, of particular importance for the entire economy’s growth, the minister said.
Source: Athens News Agency