Visitors Flooded Archaeological Sites And Museums of Greece During 2011

Visitors flooded Greece’s archaeological sites and museums in 2011 as the country’s tourist industry, and especially the newly-liberalised cruise sector, registered record figures. According to the Hellenic Statistical Authority (Elstat), the number of foreign visitors to Greece increased by over 10% in the first nine months over the year, with over 14 million tourists entering the country.
As a result, monuments registered a 17% increase in their number of visitors, while receipts from both monuments and museums were up by 5% in the first 10 months of the year. However, the economic crisis and accompanying demonstrations and rioting have clouded this otherwise bright picture. The country’s two major museums, the National Archaeological Museum and the New Acropolis Museum, both within walking distance from Syntagma Square, have seen their visitor numbers going against the national trend and dropping by over 12% and 7%, respectively.

“Of course (the riots) had an effect, and the tour operators and cruise organisers are directing people to other sites. They are avoiding the very centre of Athens,” explained Simantoni. On the other hand, the nearby Acropolis has seen its visitors increasing by a third this year, Martha Simantoni, head of the Archaeological Resources and Expropriations Fund (TAPA) pointed out.
(Source:ANSAmed)