#Outbound to Athens

[apexart-journal]

John Torrieri in Athens, Day 0

Flight is tomorrow. Certainly looking forward to it and the growth opportunities this journey will present. Although I am trying not to research too much or manufacture any expectations, it will be interesting to see how the actual experiences differ from the small amount of preconceived ideas I have of how this next month in Athens will go. I hope in many ways the trip will awaken a new lust for life and recalibrate my own expectations for my life. It's often too easy to get complacent in thought and action and I'm eager for a reexamination of both. I'm excited to meet lots of new people in the activities that Apexart is scheduling for me. Although it will be weird not to create any art for an entire month I know the experiences and the people will be a source of inspiration for years to come. And of course, hopefully I come home with lots of delicious Greek recipes! :-)

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 7.9 (after 1870)

1875 – The Herzegovina Uprising against Ottoman rule begins, which would last until 1878 and have far-reaching implications throughout the Balkans. 1877 – The inaugural Wimbledon Championships begins. 1893 – Daniel Hale Williams, American heart surgeon, performs the first successful open-heart surgery in United States without anesthesia. 1896 – William Jennings Bryan delivers his Cross of Gold speech advocating bimetallism at the 1896 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. 1900 – The Federation of Australia is given royal assent. 1900 – The Governor of Shanxi province in North China orders the execution of 45 foreign Christian missionaries and local church members, including children. 1918 – In Nashville, Tennessee, an inbound local train collides with an outbound express, killing 101 and injuring 171 people, making it the deadliest rail accident in United States history. 1922 – Johnny Weissmuller swims the 100 meters freestyle in 58.6 seconds breaking the world swimming record and the 'minute barrier'. 1926 – Chiang Kai-shek accepts the post of commander-in-chief of the National Revolutionary Army, marking the beginning of the Northern Expedition to unite China under the rule of the Nationalist government. 1932 – The state of São Paulo revolts against the Brazilian Federal Government, starting the Constitutionalist Revolution. 1937 – The silent film archives of Fox Film Corporation are destroyed by the 1937 Fox vault fire. 1943 – World War II: The Allied invasion of Sicily begins, leading to the downfall of Mussolini and forcing Hitler to break off the Battle of Kursk. 1944 – World War II: American forces take Saipan, bringing the Japanese archipelago within range of B-29 raids, and causing the downfall of the Tojo government. 1944 – World War II: Continuation War: Finland wins the Battle of Tali–Ihantala, the largest battle ever fought in northern Europe. The Red Army withdraws its troops from Ihantala and digs into a defensive position, thus ending the Vyborg–Petrozavodsk Offensive. 1955 – The Russell–Einstein Manifesto calls for a reduction of the risk of nuclear warfare. 1958 – A 7.8 Mw  strike-slip earthquake in Alaska causes a landslide that produces a megatsunami. The runup from the waves reached 525 m (1,722 ft) on the rim of Lituya Bay; five people were killed. 1961 – Greece becomes the first member state to join the European Economic Community by signing the Athens Agreement, which was suspended in 1967 during the Greek junta. 1962 – Starfish Prime tests the effects of a nuclear test at orbital altitudes. 1977 – The Pinochet dictatorship in Chile organises the youth event of Acto de Chacarillas, a ritualised act reminiscent of Francoist Spain. 1979 – A car bomb destroys a Renault motor car owned by "Nazi hunters" Serge and Beate Klarsfeld outside their home in France in an unsuccessful assassination attempt. 1982 – Pan Am Flight 759 crashes in Kenner, Louisiana, killing all 145 people on board and eight others on the ground. 1986 – The New Zealand Parliament passes the Homosexual Law Reform Act legalising homosexuality in New Zealand. 1993 – The Parliament of Canada passes the Nunavut Act leading to the 1999 creation of Nunavut, dividing the Northwest Territories into arctic (Inuit) and sub-arctic (Dene) lands based on a plebiscite. 1995 – The Navaly church bombing is carried out by the Sri Lanka Air Force killing 125 Tamil civilian refugees. 2002 – The African Union is established in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, replacing the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). The organization's first chairman is Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa. 2004 – The Senate Report on Iraqi WMD Intelligence is released by the United States Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, casting doubt on the rationale for the Iraq War. 2011 – South Sudan gains independence and secedes from Sudan.

[ippworld]

Unprecedented Numbers Of Chinese Predicted To Be Visiting Greece!

China – The Largest Source of Inbound Tourists for Greece… and for The World

At the recently concluded annual China Outbound Travel and Tourism Market (COTTM) event in Beijing held during April 2018, it was evident that China is THE largest source market for inbound tourists. China National Tourism Administration revealed that Chinese tourists last year made over 130 million trips overseas and spent US$115.29 billion during their travels. Their spending numbers are expected to exceed US$163 billion by 2024. China's government statistics account for about 120 million Chinese currently registered with passports.

This is just 9 percent of the country's total population as compared to the 36 percent of USA's population that are registered with passports. With this comparison, it is certain that the Chinese outbound tourism market will continue to flourish with highly sustainable growth numbers in the years to come.

Chinese tourists are expected to be coming to Greece in big numbers. Last year, over 170,000 visited the country in group tours or as individuals. Their arrivals are expected to rise even more rapidly. Surveys on the more significant push–pull factors for visiting Greece are; its history and archeological sites, cultural knowledge, relaxation, escape from the routine, prestige, the blue and white colors of Cyclades, quality service of hotels and last but not least, Greek food and the good organization of events. It was observed in a hotel in Athens that Chinese visitors represent a quarter of their guests. But despite minor issues that concern meals (they prefer food from their own country), their numbers are definitely on the rise. In recent times, hoteliers have been trying to adapt, some are already offering Chinese food, while more and more Chinese restaurants are opening up in Athens as well as in other key cities of Greece.

Related Content:

See Now: How Chinese Tourists Are Going To Bulgaria

To tap into China's enormous travel market, Greek authorities are making visa processing much easier for Chinese nationals as well as increasing on the connectivity between China and Greece. For example, Air China which used to fly to Athens via Munich has launched direct services since 30 September 2017. There are also plenty of scheduled flights from 30 cities in China and flying to Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Crete, Mykonos, Santorini, etc. Chinese holidaymakers planning their travel getaway to Greece have been using Fliggy (formerly known as Alitrip, the online travel platform of China's Alibaba ecosystem). Fliggy is an OTP (OpenTripPlanner) that offers direct connections between the airline and their customers. It has over 200 million registered users.

Customized Travel – A New Norm

At another recently concluded event, the Customized Travel Summit, held in Budapest, Hungary during April 2018, which is the first Business Summit of Ctrip. At the Summit, a report on the customized travel patterns of Chinese visitors to Europe was jointly released by Ctrip and the China Outbound Tourism Research Institute. It cited that Customized Travel is the new norm of outbound tourism where the Chinese traveller is more willing to spend on unique local experiences and with higher demand and taste for more refined, self-coordinated and individualized tours.

Ctrip's Customized Travel website has seen increase of over 120,000 users per month. Through its platform, travel and hospitality chains as well as agencies from around the world are coming together to provide unique travel experiences that are customized, personalized, and transparent for the ever-growing Chinese outbound travel market.

The Writing Is Certainly On The wall

During the first two months of 2018, tourist visas for Greece issued in China increased by 53.5%. The Greek National Tourism Organization Office in China, following its participation in the Guangzhou International Travel Fair 2018 with an impressive 99 m2 pavilion, had announced an increase of 30-40% in travel package signings by travel agents and tour operators in China. Chinese influence gathered momentum through a 67% profile with Piraeus, a home port for cruise liners. COSCO, China's state-owned shipping giant now manages Piraeus Port Authority (PPA). With cruise vacations becoming extremely popular in China, the deal with China Eastern Airlines will provide chartered flights to facilitate the journey from China to Greece. "We want to become a bridge linking Chinese tourists to Greece, to enjoy cruise vacations here", says Fu Chengqiu the CEO of PPA.

Indeed, based on China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi's indication, Greece can expect to welcome 1.5 million Chinese travellers within the next five years – a hefty multi-fold increase from last year!

Chinese Content - A Must-have For Hoteliers & Hospitality Establishments

To vie for a slice of the potentially gigantic influx of Chinese travellers coming to Greece, hoteliers and hospitality business owners intending to engage with the Chinese, or with any other travellers from multi-ethnic markets for that matter, should bear in mind on the age-old adage - ‘Can't read, won't buy' (watch video). It is a natural perception that everybody would want to read and understand product labels or directions, in order to make informed decisions.

As China is known to be Mobile-first, meaning that the Chinese are doing everything on their mobile phones (research, plan, transact, etc.), it is imperative that websites and booking portals are equally optimised and provided with content and instructions in their preferred language. In other words, mobile-friendly websites with Chinese content enjoy higher prominence with keyword searches amongst China's outbound tourists, hence a much better chance to engage for a CTA. Because with content in Chinese, would-be travellers have instant access to a hotel's or hospitality establishment's branding or marketing content.

Consider there are vital information that we want the Chinese audience to be able to comfortably read and understand enticing messages such as, ‘attractive deals', ‘privileges', ‘in-bound tours', ‘where to go', ‘what to eat', ‘what's new', etc. It is a fact no longer are most people relying on printed books or brochures as many of which are soon outdated after publication. While the cost to implement websites with multiple languages is mostly a one-time investment, the returns from the wider reach on social media platforms, from winning more customers in multi-ethnic markets and the financial benefits, are indeed manyfold. https://www.ippworld.com/blog/chinese-tourists-visiting-greece-to-rise-10-fold.html

[thebeautifulshirtsbloger]

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Mainly the food and booze. Also the internet service. Some have showers although I’ve not needed them as I’ve only really used them outbound. Usually on a layover I visit the city. Schipol in Amsterdam on Christmas Eve is a notable. Wanderering through the Red Light district was great. Ended up in Athens at 1:30 in the morning. On Christmas Day. Glancing up I noticed we were going 110mph from the airport but was too jetlagged to even care. Great trip. The lounge on the way out was nonexistent. Same in Hyderabad. I had reheated French fries at five in the morning because that’s all they had. Don’t even get me going about Panama.

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[travelonlinetips-blog]

New Post has been published on https://travelonlinetips.com/why-summer-holiday-flights-are-always-at-antisocial-times/

Why summer holiday flights are always at antisocial times

Why, asks Carol L, do all the flights this summer to the Canary Islands or Greece either leave the UK or arrive back at antisocial times? They all seem to depart outrageously early or get back extremely late.

“I was looking for a holiday in September 2019 in the Canaries or Halkidiki,” she says. “All the return flight times seem to be landing in the UK after midnight. It is difficult enough with a young family without getting home at 3am.

“Have they stopped doing daytime flights that arrive in the UK early evening, or have all the civilised flights been sold out?”

We’ll tell you what’s true. You can form your own view.

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For September holidays, there is no possibility that flights will have sold out. To understand why some flights are at antisocial times, you need to look at the challenges from the airline’s point of view.

Today, the vast majority of holiday flights from the UK originate in the UK. A decade or two ago there were a lot more European players, but formerly significant carriers like Spanair and Olympic’s offshoot Macedonian Airlines have disappeared.

British Airways, easyJet, Jet2, Thomas Cook Airlines and TUI have the outbound holiday market to the Med and beyond almost to themselves. The only significant foreign airline is the Irish low-cost giant, Ryanair, which incidentally now flies about one in four holidaymakers from the UK to Spain – including the Canaries.

In summer, airlines like to fit in as many hours of flying for their planes, pilots and cabin crew as they reasonably can. Between May and October, and especially late July and August, is when they make all their profit. They typically lose money for the rest of the year. Consequently that means starting early and finishing late. But there are limits.

At the back end of the 20th century, I recall taking too many sleepless flights to and from the Mediterranean in the middle of the night. Airlines would typically do something like Alicante and back, then Faro and back during the day.

Then for the graveyard shift they would add a late departure to Athens or Istanbul with departure about 9pm arriving at the destination in the early hours, then turning around to land back in Britain at about 6am, ready for the next day’s activity. 

But passengers, it seems, have become less tolerant of flights that get you in to some dismal fluorescent-lit foreign airport at 3am on day one of your holiday, and are waiting at 4am on day seven to take you home.

Read more

Overnight flights are also a strain for the extremely hardworking cabin crew and pilots. And with even more intense air-traffic control and weather delays forecast for this summer, it helps to have five or six hours’ buffer to catch up if staff shortage at Karlsruhe control centre or storms over Biscay cause delays. 

Instead airlines plan for summer operations with departures starting about 6am, and inbound flights designed to touch down at a time when most people (who tend to have their own cars) can get home in time to have something resembling a night’s sleep. This also has the bonus of making all arrivals at, and departures from, the overseas airports to be at a civilised time.

So, how do these fundamentals work out in practice? Holiday flights from the UK to the Canary Islands and Greek destinations are longer than average. For example, Bristol to Lanzarote and Edinburgh to Thessaloniki (the airport serving Halkidiki) are both about 1,600 miles, which means a flying time of about four hours. (For comparison Bournemouth to Girona is less than half the distance, and just two hours.) 

Suppose an airline made the times as civilised as it could for those longer journeys. Can we agree on an 11am departure from the UK and a 8pm arrival back (allowing for an hour on the ground at the far end for unloading, loading and refuelling)? Lovely. That would enable someone living an hour from the airport to leave at perhaps 8am before the outbound flight, and be home by 10pm after the inbound leg.

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But such a comfortable schedule would trash the experience for passengers on the same aircraft during the rest of the day. To squeeze in a “rotation” to somewhere like Alicante or Palma at either end would require a 5am departure from the UK or a 4am arrival back.

Better for the airline to use the same aircraft for a couple of long sectors in a single day, which means something like a 7am departure for either the Canaries or Greek destinations, and getting back at 1am for the other location.

Hence from the average Canary island or Greek airport, there are two waves of UK-bound flights: one around lunchtime and another in mid-evening. While there are some airport combinations with only late arrivals home, such as Fuerteventura to Liverpool and Thessaloniki to Birmingham, for most other locations you can generally find an early morning out/mid-afternoon back option.

Honourable mentions, though, for Jet2’s links from Birmingham, Leeds Bradford and Manchester to Paphos in Cyprus – out at roughly 9am, back at 8pm. But don’t be surprised if you pay a premium for humane flight times.

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[ratiram]

Development of financial  infrastructure, introduction of supportive government policies, change in business model of various remitting companies & increased marketing expenditure have been the key factors driving growth in South Africa remittance market.

South Africa domestic and international remittance Market is highly competitive and concentrated. It includes both formal and informal payment services providers. The market has declined in terms of value and volume of transactions however it has seen a rise in terms of average transaction size for outbound business. The decline can be supported by the high transaction fee involved in the remittance business which serves as a dissidence for customers.

High Emigration Population: Number of South Africans leaving the country showcased a positive last 5 year CAGR of almost 3% owing to the compelling job opportunities and prospects in the developed countries. An increase in the emigrant population is indicative of a prosperous remittance business. Emigrants from South Africa have majorly migrated to the developed economies including United Kingdom, Australia, United States, New Zealand, Canada, Angola Botswana and other SADC countries. Few emigrants migrate to the SADC corridor since these economies are highly lagging as compared to South Africa.

Majority of migrants into South Africa are from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho and other SADC countries. The trend observed in inbound migration is the result of increased economical opportunities in South Africa compared to the SADC region.

Customer Analysis: The outbound population consists of an almost equal gender ratio in 2018. The maximum number of emigrants falls in the age bracket of 25-29 years followed by 30-34 year population in 2018. The age group of 70-79 years accounts for the lowest emigrants showcasing a share of less than 1% of the population.

Declining Costs: South Africa continues to remain one of the costliest countries to remit money from across the world. The average cost to remit money for 2017 was around 18% of transaction amount which are representative of a decline from a peak of 2013. The increased competition in the market with escalating market share of ADLAs has largely affected the fee structure across the country. ADLAs charge minimal fees of not more than 5% of the transaction amount, making them a market leader in terms of pricing.

Increased Digitalization: The South African market is adopting digitalization at a rapid pace in all aspects including the remittance market. The smart phone users in South Africa have increased to almost 40% in 2018 from close to 11% in 2013. This increased penetration of technologically advanced mobile phones showcases the adoption of mobile wallets, e-wallets and other electronic modes of remittance services across South Africa. This has driven the market considerably during 2013-2018.

Government Support Policies: South Africa Government has been liberalizing their policies and regulatory frameworks for remittance service providers including all entities. The documentation, fee structure and business compliance guidelines have been improvised by the regulators leading to a higher remittance business. The flexibility being adopted by the government is serving as an incentive for both the service providers as well as the customers availing the services.

The report titled “South Africa Domestic and International Remittance Market Outlook to 2023 - By Channels Used (Banking Channels, Retailers, ADLAs & MTOs and Others), Remittance Corridors (Inbound-Outbound and Rural-Urban)” suggests that market will grow at a CAGR of close to 6% in terms of transaction value during the year 2018-2023.

Key Segments Covered in South Africa International Remittance Market:-

By Channels used (Value of Transactions)

Banking channels

ADLAs & MTOs

Retailers

Others

By International Inbound Remittance Flow Corridor (Value of Transactions)

United Kingdom

New Zealand

Australia

Angola

Others

By International Outbound Remittance Flow Corridor (Value of Transactions)

Zimbabwe

Lesotho

Mozambique

Others

By Work Profile (Value of Transactions)

Key Segments Covered in South Africa Domestic Remittance Market

By Channels used (Value of Transactions)

Banking channels

ADLAs & MTOs

Retailers

Others

By Domestic Remittance Flow Corridor (Value of Transactions)

Urban to Rural

Urban to Urban

Rural to Urban

By Work Profile (Value of Transactions)

Key Target Audience

Banks

Money Transfer Operators

ADLAs

M-Wallet Companies

Hawalas

Convenience and Retail Stores

Supermarket Chains

South Africa Reserve Bank

Bills and Payments Companies

Investors & Venture Capital Firms

Time Period Captured in the Report:-

2013-2018 – Historical Period

2019-2023 – Future Forecast

Companies Covered: ABSA Bank Limited, Albaraka Bank Limited, Bidvest Bank Limited, BNP Paribas SA – South Africa Branch, Capitec Bank Limited, China Construction Bank-Johannesburg Branch, Citibank-South Africa, Deutsche Bank AG-Johannesburg Branch, FirstRand Bank Limited, Habib Overseas Bank Limited, HBZ Bank Limited, HSBC Bank PLC–Johannesburg Branch, Investec Bank Limited, JPMorgan Chase Bank-Johannesburg Branch, Mercantile Bank Limited, Nedbank Limited, Sasfin Bank Limited, Société Générale, Standard Chartered Bank–Johannesburg Branch, State Bank of India, The South African Bank of Athens Limited, The Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, First National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bank of India, Bank of China, Bank of Taiwan, Western Union , Money Gram, Hello Paisa, Mama Money, Mukuru, Exchange4Free, Imali Express (Pty), Ace Currency Exchange (Pty), Forex World (Pty) Limited, Global Foreign Exchange (Pty) Limited, Inter Africa Bureau de Change (Pty) Limited, Interchange RSA (Pty) Limited, Master Currency (Pty) Limited, Sikhona Forex (Pty) Limited, Tourvest Financial Services (Pty) Limited, American Express Foreign Exchange Services, Tower Bureau de Change (Pty) Limited, Travelex Africa Foreign Exchange (Pty) Limited, Southeast Exchange Company (South Africa), Terra Payment Services South Africa (RF) (Pty), WorldRemit South Africa (Pty) Limited, Shoprite, Pep Stores, Pick n Pay, Checkers, Spar, Ackermans and Boxers.

Keywords:-

South Africa Remittance Market

South Africa Remittance Industry

South Africa Remittance

South Africa Remittance Report

Remittance Services Competition

Remittance Income South Africa

Major Players South Africa Remittance Market

SWOT South Africa Remittance

Remittance Industry South Africa

Major Players South Africa Remittance

Mama Money Remittance South Africa

Mukuru Remittance South Africa

Exchange4Free Remittance South Africa

Shoprite Remittance South Africa

PEP Stores Remittance South Africa

To Know More About This Report Follow This Link:-

South Africa Domestic and International Remittance Market Outlook to 2023 - By Channels Used (Banking Channels, Retailers, ADLAs & MTOs and Others), Remittance Corridors (Inbound-Outbound and Rural-Urban)

Related Reports by Ken Research:-

Egypt Remittance Market Outlook to 2023 - By Inbound and Outbound Remittance, By Transfer Mode (Bank Transfer, Through Friends or Relatives, Through Agent or Courier, Carried Money on Their Visits, and Others), By Banking and Non-Banking Transfer, By Bill Payment Type (Mobile Services, Internet Services, Utilities, and Others), By Bill Payment Mode (Cash Payments, Card Payments, and Fund Transfers)

Kuwait Remittance Market By Inbound and Outbound International Remittance, By Mode Of Transfer (Electronic And Cash), By Channel (Bank And Non-Bank), By Bill Payment Methods (Cash, Credit/Debit Card/E-Wallet And Electronic Transfers), By Types Of Payment (Grocery Bills, Utility Bills, Fuel Bills, DTH And Broadband Bills And Mobile Recharge Bills) And By Regions – Outlook To 2022

Philippines Money Transfer And Bill Payments Market Outlook To 2023 - By Domestic Remittance Banking And Non Banking (Pawnshops, MTO) Channels, International Remittance Flow Corridors And Channel; Bill Payment Segment

Nigeria Remittance And Bill Payments Market Outlook By Inbound And Outbound International Remittance, By Mode Of Transfer (Cash Or Electronic Transfers), By Channel (Bank And Non-Bank) - Outlook To 2022

Contact Us:-

Ken Research

Ankur Gupta, Head Marketing & Communications

Sales@kenresearch.com

+91-9015378249

[touristguidebuzz]

Hong Kong Is Top City For International Visitors Despite China Tensions

Hong Kong is still the top city for international visits despite tensions with mainland China. Pictured are competitors swimming during the annual one-kilometer (0.6-mile) harbor race at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong last month. Vincent Yu / Associated Press

Skift Take: Hong Kong has the benefit of being located next to mainland China, the world's largest outbound travel market. But Greece and Italy, benefiting from turmoil in Tunisia and Egypt, are among the more interesting findings, especially since Greece and Italy were already having trouble managing tourism growth.

— Dan Peltier

Hong Kong remains the world’s most visited city by international travelers in spite of strained relations with neighboring China, industry experts said Tuesday.

In a report on the top 100 city destinations that highlights the growth in Asian tourism, market research firm Euromonitor International said 25.7 million arrivals are expected in Hong Kong this year.

The figure is down 3.2 percent compared with 2016, largely because tensions with China have grown this year as Beijing has sought to exercise more control over the territory.

Euromonitor expects the downturn to be short-lived and that growth will pick up again from next year and that arrivals to Hong Kong will reach a massive 45 million by 2025.

Unlike Hong Kong, the Thai capital of Bangkok posted further increases in arrivals this year largely linked to tour packages targeted at first-time travelers from China. Its arrivals in 2017 are expected to be 9.5 percent higher at 21.3 million, a rise that’s pushed it further ahead of London, which remains in the third spot with 19.8 million arrivals.

Visits to London rose 3.4 percent in 2017, largely due to the 15 percent fall in the value of the pound since the country’s vote last year to leave the European Union. That has helped shift perceptions about Britain being an expensive place to visit.

“The currency depreciation has been a boon for inbound tourism into Britain,” said Caroline Bremner, Euromonitor’s head of travel. “It’s now deemed value for money.”

However, Euromonitor warned that the “Brexit bounce” may soon end if the country’s departure from the EU in March 2019 undermines London’s dominant position in the financial industry and its status as a hub for start-up businesses.

The research firm said London is set to slip down to sixth in the rankings in the coming seven years as a result of a rise in travel to Asian cities. Euromonitor expects 47 Asian cities to be in the top 100 by 2025, against 41 now and just 34 in 2010.

“The impact of inter-Asian travel, predominantly from China, in particular, cannot be underestimated,” said Wouter Geerts, Euromonitor’s senior travel analyst and author of the report, which was prepared for the World Travel Market, the industry’s top event. “Asia Pacific is the standout region that has driven change in the travel landscape over the past decade and is expected to continue doing so in the coming decade.”

Elsewhere, the survey found that extremist attacks have had diverging effects in cities. While Istanbul has seen a 5.8 percent decline in arrivals this year to 9.2 million, cities like London, Paris and Barcelona have seen little long-lasting impact.

The report shows that much of the tourism that went to Istanbul and other Mediterranean destinations affected by attacks, like Tunisia and Egypt, have gone to Greece and Italy, which are considered “relatively quiet and stable.”

Greece is set for a record-breaking year, with the Cretan city of Heraklion the fastest-growing in Europe in the top 100, with arrivals up 11.2 percent this year to more than 3 million. Athens, the Greek capital, is also enjoying a boom, with numbers up 10 percent, lifting its position by one to 47th.

For Greece, the surge in visits is particularly important as tourism accounts for a fifth of the economy, which has shrunk by a quarter during its debt crisis of recent years. The World Travel & Tourism Council estimates that tourism in 2017 will help boost the Greek economy by 6.9 percent, supporting nearly a million jobs.

The top U.S. city on the list is New York, which retains the eighth spot after a 3.6 percent increase in arrivals in 2017 to 13.1 million. Miami was the second most-visited U.S. city with 8.1 million arrivals, up 3.1 percent.

This article was written by Pan Pylas from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

[rollinbrigittenv8]

Hong Kong Is Top City For International Visitors Despite China Tensions

Hong Kong is still the top city for international visits despite tensions with mainland China. Pictured are competitors swimming during the annual one-kilometer (0.6-mile) harbor race at the Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong last month. Vincent Yu / Associated Press

Skift Take: Hong Kong has the benefit of being located next to mainland China, the world's largest outbound travel market. But Greece and Italy, benefiting from turmoil in Tunisia and Egypt, are among the more interesting findings, especially since Greece and Italy were already having trouble managing tourism growth.

— Dan Peltier

Hong Kong remains the world’s most visited city by international travelers in spite of strained relations with neighboring China, industry experts said Tuesday.

In a report on the top 100 city destinations that highlights the growth in Asian tourism, market research firm Euromonitor International said 25.7 million arrivals are expected in Hong Kong this year.

The figure is down 3.2 percent compared with 2016, largely because tensions with China have grown this year as Beijing has sought to exercise more control over the territory.

Euromonitor expects the downturn to be short-lived and that growth will pick up again from next year and that arrivals to Hong Kong will reach a massive 45 million by 2025.

Unlike Hong Kong, the Thai capital of Bangkok posted further increases in arrivals this year largely linked to tour packages targeted at first-time travelers from China. Its arrivals in 2017 are expected to be 9.5 percent higher at 21.3 million, a rise that’s pushed it further ahead of London, which remains in the third spot with 19.8 million arrivals.

Visits to London rose 3.4 percent in 2017, largely due to the 15 percent fall in the value of the pound since the country’s vote last year to leave the European Union. That has helped shift perceptions about Britain being an expensive place to visit.

“The currency depreciation has been a boon for inbound tourism into Britain,” said Caroline Bremner, Euromonitor’s head of travel. “It’s now deemed value for money.”

However, Euromonitor warned that the “Brexit bounce” may soon end if the country’s departure from the EU in March 2019 undermines London’s dominant position in the financial industry and its status as a hub for start-up businesses.

The research firm said London is set to slip down to sixth in the rankings in the coming seven years as a result of a rise in travel to Asian cities. Euromonitor expects 47 Asian cities to be in the top 100 by 2025, against 41 now and just 34 in 2010.

“The impact of inter-Asian travel, predominantly from China, in particular, cannot be underestimated,” said Wouter Geerts, Euromonitor’s senior travel analyst and author of the report, which was prepared for the World Travel Market, the industry’s top event. “Asia Pacific is the standout region that has driven change in the travel landscape over the past decade and is expected to continue doing so in the coming decade.”

Elsewhere, the survey found that extremist attacks have had diverging effects in cities. While Istanbul has seen a 5.8 percent decline in arrivals this year to 9.2 million, cities like London, Paris and Barcelona have seen little long-lasting impact.

The report shows that much of the tourism that went to Istanbul and other Mediterranean destinations affected by attacks, like Tunisia and Egypt, have gone to Greece and Italy, which are considered “relatively quiet and stable.”

Greece is set for a record-breaking year, with the Cretan city of Heraklion the fastest-growing in Europe in the top 100, with arrivals up 11.2 percent this year to more than 3 million. Athens, the Greek capital, is also enjoying a boom, with numbers up 10 percent, lifting its position by one to 47th.

For Greece, the surge in visits is particularly important as tourism accounts for a fifth of the economy, which has shrunk by a quarter during its debt crisis of recent years. The World Travel & Tourism Council estimates that tourism in 2017 will help boost the Greek economy by 6.9 percent, supporting nearly a million jobs.

The top U.S. city on the list is New York, which retains the eighth spot after a 3.6 percent increase in arrivals in 2017 to 13.1 million. Miami was the second most-visited U.S. city with 8.1 million arrivals, up 3.1 percent.

This article was written by Pan Pylas from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

[apexart-journal]

John Torrieri in Athens, Day 1

10 hr flight, barely any sleep. No time for nap, but I'm not here for napping. It finally hit me when looking out the window on the cab ride from the airport. Not the lack of sleep but rather the history of this place. Something not present in the very young USA. Looking at the scenery trying to comprehend what took place here thousands of years ago. Events and people that shaped the world. Mesmerizing. And then the juxtaposition of emotions as Alexandra took me around the neighborhood of present day Athens. Very real, very now. Amazing to get the perspective from a local. Alexandra was very informative, cheerful and kind which certainly helps set the tone for the entire trip. I'm sure there will be bumps along the way as I encounter new people and experiences but for now the trip is off to a great start.

Took a walk through Pedion tou Areos to finish off today's activities. Nice to overhear the Greek language and get a feel for the locals' routines, whether running, walking or walking their dog. Looking forward to more immersion tomorrow. Been a long day. Or two days?…

[apexart-journal]

John Torrieri in Athens, Day 2

Started off the day with my first yoga experience ever. A humbling experience it was. Although I'm athletic and eat healthy the stretches were difficult. Luckily the calm zen of it all overshadowed the crude yoga that my body was capable of. Then central market and lunch with Alexandra at a hidden gem. A place that seems like only the locals know. You only eat what they happen to cook that day. Thankfully what they cook is delicious! Avoiding the tourist traps and uncovering the local flavor will be the roadmap to the essence of the city. I look forward to more of this

[apexart-journal]

John Torrieri in Athens, Day 3

Met with local artist Kostas Bassanos. I appreciate the generosity of his time. He explained the struggle of the local artists and galleries that steer clear of the mainstream. Not an uncommon theme but a reminder of how dedicated we all are to persevere in such a challenging environment.

[apexart-journal]

John Torrieri in Athens, Day 4

I've been doing a lot of walking. Must be 2+ hours per day. I think it's the best way to get oriented and really see and feel what the city has.

Met with local guide Manilos and Konstatina today and they took me to the farmers market. They are both super nice people. Also hit a sandwich shop, Guarantee, that has been around for 40 years. Artisans that take their time and take pride in their work (I.e. the sandwiches). Definitely will have to hit that one again as I'm a big fan of their work ethic and way of thinking.

[apexart-journal]

John Torrieri in Athens, Day 5

Met with a local volunteer guide Vicky today. She was definitely informative regarding Greek culture, customs, etc. She was a friendly person and she made me laugh. The laughing mostly relating to the fact that I kept thinking I was getting fleeced (thankfully I didn't care much because the scale was small and she was friendly).

It was supposed to be a two hour walking tour starting at 2pm in front of my apartment. She emailed on her way saying she was 10 min behind schedule which I of course said was no problem. After standing outside my apartment for 20 minutes I received a call from Vicky stating her gps wasn't working. So I walked ten minutes and met her at 2:40. She immediately took us to a souvlaki place where she ate two souvlakis to my one. Since she was a volunteer I had already planned to pay for her meal anyway. She clearly knew that too. She said we should take a selfie which I had to do with my phone because her memory card was full (she did not ask me to send it to her and later I saw she posted a slew of pics on Facebook). And I had to write an entry in her journal. We eventually left the restaurant and she pointed out some things around the city as we walked through the city for about fifteen minutes. As we arrived at the National Garden she said she had to abandon me for another appointment. It was 4pm sharp. I laugh because the free two hour guided walk was little more than a 10 euro hour long guide of a souvlaki restaurant! I have to remind myself I'm a foreigner here. Luckily I have a good sense of humor! :-)

[apexart-journal]

John Torrieri in Athens, Day 6

On my way home this evening I walked by the acropolis. It gave a different perspective seeing it at night lit up amongst the dark sky. Still it made me think of the people that built the structures and gathered around them during ancient times. Were they much different from us? I think not. Different problems maybe, but ultimately humans like us just trying to find their purpose in this thing we call life.

[apexart-journal]

John Torrieri in Athens, Day 7

I'm reminded how crucial communication is and how much I take it for granted at home. The different language with a different alphabet can make you feel completely isolated and lost. It should have taken a little less than an hour to get to the opera but it took me two hours. Thankfully I made it with a few minutes to spare otherwise I would have had to wait to the intermission to take my seat. But to get there I had to figure out the metro (so far I've only walked and taken buses), determine why my 11 trip pass was out of rides (despite only taking the bus twice), and then catch the right bus and get off at the correct stop. Yes, google makes it easier but it's not perfect. I waited for a bus that never showed and then desperately hopped on a bus that quickly turned in the wrong direction. Then I walked to another station and hopped on a number bus that I wasn't supposed to take but it took me to the opera anyway. May not sound complicated but when it's hard to ask strangers in a different language to take you to a stop that you can't read or pronounce or understand it's not that easy. Luckily the opera was worth it. The acting, singing and wonderful orchestra was a delight to the senses. Thankfully there are some things that transcend language! :)

[apexart-journal]

John Torrieri in Athens, Day 9

Majestic views from the top of the hill at the Botanical Gardens. Had a nice breeze up there too. View and breeze helped hit the rest button after my day off. Seemed to clear my head for what was and is to follow. Drinks with Manolis in the evening broadened the perspective of local life and how things around here have changed over the past 10 years. The prices of 'progress'.