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Greece sees 23% rise in early bookings for 2017

Early bookings for travel to Greece for 2017 are showing a 23% rise up until September, according to official figures released today.

This shows packages up by 23%, all-inclusive holidays up 28% and self-catering up 19%.

The boost in advance bookings came as Greece reported a 1.3% increase in arrivals from all overseas markets between January and August over the dame period in 2015.

Greece attracted a record of 17.2 million overseas visitors in the first eight months of the year – up by 200,000 year-on-year – excluding cruise passengers.

Arrivals from the UK were up by 7.7% to 1.9 million in the year to August, including a 14% rise in August alone.

Greek National Tourism Organisation UK & Ireland director Christina Kalogera said: “2016 has seen the third consecutive year of growth in tourism to Greece from the UK.

“Financial and political stability have contributed to this growth, but continuing investment in the tourism product has resulted in a dynamic choice for discerning visitors.”

Crete was the most popular destination for British travellers, with a 13% increase, while Rhodes saw 12% growth.

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