I would like to congratulate all the exhibitors participating in the Athens International Boat Show 2024, as well as the newspaper Maritime Economies, which is participating as a communication supporter.
In 2023, tourist arrivals in Greece reached 36 million, of which 3.3 million came from cruising. Revenues totaled €20.6 billion, including €847 million from cruises. For 2024, we anticipate a total of 38 million arrivals, with revenues expected to range between €21 billion and €21.5 billion, despite a decrease in revenues during the months of July and August.
The strong recovery of tourism flows and travel revenues, especially after the pandemic, has brought the discussion of both the positive and negative aspects of tourism back to the forefront. In any case, tourism directly and indirectly contributes to about 30% of the GDP.
It is clear that tourism is Greece’s major comparative advantage, playing a crucial role in both the balance of the current account and in maintaining our quality of life, particularly for the smaller islands, where tourism is a blessing and, without it, they would have been deserted.
As for the yachting sector, despite the increase in tourist flows, the overall results for 2024 have not been as optimistic as in the previous two years.
For 2025, we expect a better year, and the initial messages from pre-bookings are positive. It is worth noting that optimistic forecasts are accompanied by significant uncertainties regarding inflation, interest rates, the ongoing war in Ukraine and developments in the Middle East.
At the same time, there are also high demands for a transition to a green economy and sustainable development, digitization, and technological advancements, which make our environment particularly unpredictable and demanding.
We will take stock of both tourism and maritime tourism as the 2025 tourist season progresses. We should also consider the economic impacts of the re-election of President Trump in the United States.
To summarize the current situation, I would highlight four key issues for professional yachting: a) berthing facilities, b) the gray areas concerning VAT, c) addressing bureaucratic issues and ensuring the proper functioning of services, and d) the distortions created by the well-known articles 8 and 9 of Law 4926/2022.
With a strong maritime tradition, a long coastline, numerous islands, and clean and safe seas for sailors, Greece continues to attract high-income tourists, and it is justified to approach the future with optimism.
We highlight efforts to continuously upgrade the coastal front of Attica, streamline the institutional framework for the establishment and operation of tourist ports, develop new technologies for marina management, provide incentives for increasing the number of permanently berthed vessels in our country, restructure the operations and supervision of Port and Municipal Funds at the national level, address legislative gaps regarding abandoned ships and wrecks, and implement the national development plan for Greek maritime tourism.
The need to modernize the institutional framework for maritime tourism is always pressing, with priorities based on new realities: reducing bureaucracy, increasing competition among professional vessels of Greek-owned shipping interests, limiting illegal charters, and combating unjust demands from interests accustomed to operating illegally.
Among the priorities for enriching maritime tourism, I would mention nautical sports, diving and fishing activities, sea-based attractions, high-quality gastronomic meals, with a focus on overall quality, safety, and environmental sensitivity.
Both the 20th East Med Yacht Show 2024, which took place in Poros from April 25–28, 2024, with the participation mainly of crewed catamarans, and the 9th Mediterranean Yacht Show in Nafplio from April 27–May 1, 2024, with the participation of a significant number of professional crewed vessels, highlight the great potential of yachting.
Hundreds of agents from abroad visited these Yacht Shows.
The same success is expected for 2025, both for the 21st East Med Yacht Show and the 10th Mediterranean Yacht Show.
I would like to emphasize and underline that our country must lead the way for free navigation in the Mediterranean, striving to adopt common rules on taxation, customs duties, labor conditions, safety, and environmental protection.
Only in this way can we address the unfair competition faced by Greek shipping interests in Greek waters and the island archipelago, which is considered the best in the world.
*George Vernicos is Secretary General of Greek Tourism Confederation (SETE), President of the Institute of SETE (INSETE), Honorary President of Hellenic Professional Yacht Owners Association, Member of European Economic and Social Council (EESC) and President of VERNICOS YACHTS
