A trip to Greece in the coming weeks may feel like an intrusion -- a sojourn into a land of private grief and public fury. <\/p>\n
Sitting on the beach in Corfu or sipping wine at a tavern in Athens as the Greeks play out their very public crisis is likely to make any foreign visitor feel a bit guilty, a bit helpless and, perhaps, unwelcome. <\/p>\n
That's not what the Greeks want, of course. It's not what they want at all. <\/p>\n
Tourism has long sustained Greece, and despite -- or perhaps because of -- its problems, the nation had an astounding year in 2011. A record 16.5 million tourists visited last year, and revenues rose by 10 percent to 10.5 billion euros. Industry officials attributed the success to political turmoil in rival destinations like Tunisia and Egypt, but it's likely that dramatically lower fares were a major factor. <\/p>\n
This year, however, things aren't so sunny. Tourist receipts for the first quarter tumbled by 15.1 percent, the Bank of Greece said, while Greek airport arrivals fell 5.1 percent in the first five months of the year. Meanwhile, online hotel prices in Greece show an 8 percent decline this month compared to June 2011, according to Trivago.gr, with rates in Athens down by 22 percent over last year. Overall hotel rates in Greece now average just 100 euros for a twin room, considerably lower than most other European nations. <\/p>\n
While this is bad news for Greece, it's good news for anyone looking to travel to the country. <\/p>\n
\"The prices have gone down everywhere,\" said Emmanuel Christodoulakis of the Greek National Tourism Organization. \"You can find so many specials on the hotels and restaurants. There is much more affordable tourism in Greece right now.\" <\/p>\n
Travel agents in the UK and Germany -- which together represent a large percentage of Greece's visitors -- have offered steep discounts to help kick-start slumping demand as the economic crisis hits travel spending across Europe. London-based Olympic Holidays, for example, reduced its rates by up to 25 percent for peak season travel in an attempt to get Brits out on the Greek Isles. <\/p>\n
With prices at all-time lows, here's a look at some of the best beaches in Greece where you can help out the Greek economy and get a bargain at the same time: <\/p>\n
Best Beach for Luxury: Costa Navarino <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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The Best Beaches In Greece (And Why You Should Visit Them Now)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A trip to Greece in the coming weeks may feel like an intrusion -- a sojourn into a land of private grief and public fury. Sitting on the beach in Corfu or sipping wine at a tavern in Athens as the Greeks play out their very public crisis is likely to make any foreign visitor feel a bit guilty, a bit helpless and, perhaps, unwelcome Continue reading