Its administration National Bank (EIB) visited Rhodes and had the opportunity to meet prominent businessmen in the tourism industry and discuss their forecasts for the tourist season that began.
Pavlos Mylonas, CEO of National Bank In his speech he stood in the developments of the international economy, commenting that we have recently experienced uncertainty as a result of US tariff policy. But it also commented on the positives that smooth out this juncture for Greece, such as its strong fiscal position, the small immediate export report (goods) to the US, the growing support from the recovery fund and the decline in oil prices and interest rates.
Finally, in summary, Mr Mylonas stressed that in periods of uncertainty, the importance of trusted partners and credible advice is even more intense, and the EIB has built a timeless relationship of trust with its clients and now specializing in complex transactions, they are ready to support them.
At the same time Jesse Voumbaki, Deputy Chief Economistpresented an in -depth analysis of Rhodes’ development perspective. Utilizing advantages such as nature, culture and high quality hotel infrastructure, Rhodes is a key pillar of tourism development of the country, covering 10% of Greek tourism (compared to 1% in terms of land and GDP).
The displacement of the island is also important at the global level, as it absorbs 2% of world island tourism (and takes 12th place among the most important island destinations).
In the face of the new trends of international tourism, prioritizing separate travel experiences and highlighting local features, the tourist tradition of Rhodes, combined with its diverse beauties (Natura areas, UNESCO monuments, gastronomy) are a unique advantage to maintain it.
In this context, the “Island of the Sun” is called upon to exploit the significant dynamics developed by the rise of the middle class in Asia and mainly in China (10% of the richest Chinese are the cumulative population of Germany and the United Kingdom).
As the center of gravity of world tourism demand is gradually shifting to the East, 1/2 of the new tourist wave to Europe is estimated to be non -European (mainly Asians). This perspective is of great importance, as the characteristics of these new travelers offer the opportunity to upgrade the tourist model of Greece and, by extension, of Rhodes, as they are linked to less seasonal behavior and a higher average expense.
Under these circumstances, Rhodes has the ability to
- to increase the volume of overseas tourists by 30% in the next decade (+1 million, even without the burden of high demand months) and
- achieve an increase of 15% in the expense per arrival.
Implementation of this perspective requires a consistent strategic plan structured on three main axes:
- Coordinated actions to attract tourists from distant markets (direct airlines, targeted promotion strategies, VISA version simplification),
- Support of Reception Infrastructure (Airports, Ports, Marinas) and
- Upgrading of hospitality infrastructure (mainly basic infrastructure, such as electricity and water supply). Due to the timely coordinated implementation of the strategy, Rhodes, by nature, can win this next decade bet – fueling its economy by rising GDP by 40% by 2035.