“It’s a miracle, what’s been happening in Athens,” Greece’s tourism chief, Andreas Andreadis, told the Observer. A record 23.5 million holidaymakers visited Greece in 2015 – generating €14.2bn in direct receipts, or 24% of gross domestic product. Arrivals could reach 25 million (27.5 million including cruise ship passengers), which is more than twice the country’s population. “The tourist industry in Greece grew two to three times faster than in Spain, Portugal, Italy or France last year. The Greek Tourism Confederation, Sete, is predicting another bumper season for an industry that has long been the single biggest contributor to the economy and job market.

Source: The Guardian May 28, 2016 15:01 UTC