Page 55 - Ath Airport Profile
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For the second year in a row, tourism through Athens Cyprus - presented an important increase of 12% and
International Airport experienced a negative course. 7% respectively. Three out of ten foreign travellers
The proportion of foreign residents, reached the 63% that visited Athens airport for business, transferred
of AIA’s international traffic this year. The airport to other Greek destinations, mainly to Crete and
welcomed 3.3 million foreigners, experiencing a Thessaloniki. Business travellers reduced their staying
decrease of 7% compared to 2008. Among foreign period in Greece, which lasted 4 days on average.
residents, the 62% travelled in Athens and its’
catchment area for vacation, formulating the figure Greek residents prevented the international
of foreign holidaymakers to approximately 1.9 market from a worse downturn in 2009. Greeks
million and presenting a drop of 11%. Except from that travelled to international destinations were
the Easter period, the only months that showed estimated to approximately 1.8 million, with the
positive development was June and July, while the business traffic indicating a decrease of 3% and the
rest of the period was characterised by double digit leisure traffic remaining at a stable level.
decrease.
Greeks traditionally preferred Italy for leisure with
Focusing on the geographical regions, marginal a volume of 121,000 passengers, while both United
decline was apparent from tourists originating from Kingdom and France demonstrated a significant
the Middle East, while United Arab Emirates tourists growth of 13% and 37% respectively. This year,
showed 63% growth. Asia Pacific was the second Greek residents favoured Africa and Asia for their
area with lower downturn compared to the other vacation as well, with Morocco and Maldives
regions, since Australian incoming tourists indicated presenting triple digit growth. Moreover, Scandinavia
only a 3% decrease. Europe also presented negative appeared as a favourite region for the Greek
figures; the volume of holidaymakers reached the holidaymakers this year, while India was inserted
1.2 million arriving passengers, showing a drop to the list of countries with the highest growth of
of 12%. Among European inhabitants, British Greek leisure traffic. The average holiday period for
continued to hold the first ranking position in terms Greeks was more extended than the foreigners’,
of volume with 147,000 passengers, followed by the estimated at 16 days on average.
Germans with 136,000 passengers and the Italian
residents (109,213). The only countries with positive As mentioned before, outgoing business traffic
development within Europe, was Switzerland (+21%) indicated a slightly negative performance, with
, Poland (+2%) and Finland (+70%). The great Greek business travelling abroad reaching almost
decline of North American residents (-19%) definitely the 693,600 passengers. Within Europe, Germany
affected the negative course of tourism in Athens remained the first choice of Greek business people,
overall, since United States inhabitants represent followed by Italy that demonstrated a decline
the higher volume of tourists through the airport though. Cyprus and Turkey showed an important
(331,950). increase in outgoing business traffic with 21% and
58% respectively. Travelling East, Japan and South
Out of the 3.1 million tourists that arrived in Athens Korean presented an impressive growth of Greek
airport, approximately 1.3 million stayed in Athens business travelling. Greek travellers stayed 6 days
for at least 24 hours. Moreover, incoming tourists on average for their business affairs abroad.
that transferred via Athens in order to end their
trip to another Greek holiday spot were estimated
at 625,000, with Santorini/Thira (+6%), Heraklion
(-23%) and Mykonos (-29%) being their favourite
destinations. The average length of stay for vacations
in Greece was estimated at 11 days, while 4 of them
were spent in Athens city.
Incoming business traffic - amounting to
approximately 851,000 passengers in 2009- suffered
also from a significant decline most probably
due to the corporate travelling budget cutting.
Regardless of the continuous effort of the Greek
Tourism Authorities to promote Greece as a business
destination, foreigners travelling for conferences,
conventions and trade fairs indicated a drop of 17%.
It is worth noting though, that the main originating
countries of business tourists - United Kingdom and
For the second year in a row, tourism through Athens Cyprus - presented an important increase of 12% and
International Airport experienced a negative course. 7% respectively. Three out of ten foreign travellers
The proportion of foreign residents, reached the 63% that visited Athens airport for business, transferred
of AIA’s international traffic this year. The airport to other Greek destinations, mainly to Crete and
welcomed 3.3 million foreigners, experiencing a Thessaloniki. Business travellers reduced their staying
decrease of 7% compared to 2008. Among foreign period in Greece, which lasted 4 days on average.
residents, the 62% travelled in Athens and its’
catchment area for vacation, formulating the figure Greek residents prevented the international
of foreign holidaymakers to approximately 1.9 market from a worse downturn in 2009. Greeks
million and presenting a drop of 11%. Except from that travelled to international destinations were
the Easter period, the only months that showed estimated to approximately 1.8 million, with the
positive development was June and July, while the business traffic indicating a decrease of 3% and the
rest of the period was characterised by double digit leisure traffic remaining at a stable level.
decrease.
Greeks traditionally preferred Italy for leisure with
Focusing on the geographical regions, marginal a volume of 121,000 passengers, while both United
decline was apparent from tourists originating from Kingdom and France demonstrated a significant
the Middle East, while United Arab Emirates tourists growth of 13% and 37% respectively. This year,
showed 63% growth. Asia Pacific was the second Greek residents favoured Africa and Asia for their
area with lower downturn compared to the other vacation as well, with Morocco and Maldives
regions, since Australian incoming tourists indicated presenting triple digit growth. Moreover, Scandinavia
only a 3% decrease. Europe also presented negative appeared as a favourite region for the Greek
figures; the volume of holidaymakers reached the holidaymakers this year, while India was inserted
1.2 million arriving passengers, showing a drop to the list of countries with the highest growth of
of 12%. Among European inhabitants, British Greek leisure traffic. The average holiday period for
continued to hold the first ranking position in terms Greeks was more extended than the foreigners’,
of volume with 147,000 passengers, followed by the estimated at 16 days on average.
Germans with 136,000 passengers and the Italian
residents (109,213). The only countries with positive As mentioned before, outgoing business traffic
development within Europe, was Switzerland (+21%) indicated a slightly negative performance, with
, Poland (+2%) and Finland (+70%). The great Greek business travelling abroad reaching almost
decline of North American residents (-19%) definitely the 693,600 passengers. Within Europe, Germany
affected the negative course of tourism in Athens remained the first choice of Greek business people,
overall, since United States inhabitants represent followed by Italy that demonstrated a decline
the higher volume of tourists through the airport though. Cyprus and Turkey showed an important
(331,950). increase in outgoing business traffic with 21% and
58% respectively. Travelling East, Japan and South
Out of the 3.1 million tourists that arrived in Athens Korean presented an impressive growth of Greek
airport, approximately 1.3 million stayed in Athens business travelling. Greek travellers stayed 6 days
for at least 24 hours. Moreover, incoming tourists on average for their business affairs abroad.
that transferred via Athens in order to end their
trip to another Greek holiday spot were estimated
at 625,000, with Santorini/Thira (+6%), Heraklion
(-23%) and Mykonos (-29%) being their favourite
destinations. The average length of stay for vacations
in Greece was estimated at 11 days, while 4 of them
were spent in Athens city.
Incoming business traffic - amounting to
approximately 851,000 passengers in 2009- suffered
also from a significant decline most probably
due to the corporate travelling budget cutting.
Regardless of the continuous effort of the Greek
Tourism Authorities to promote Greece as a business
destination, foreigners travelling for conferences,
conventions and trade fairs indicated a drop of 17%.
It is worth noting though, that the main originating
countries of business tourists - United Kingdom and
