How this year΄s tourist season is going
The general consensus is that costs are rising, driven by high prices, higher wages following the introduction of the attendance card, and new tax obligations.
Debate continues over whether this year’s tourist season should be seen as a success or a failure, with assessments ranging from near disaster to full satisfaction. What seems clear is that an ‘auction of impressions’ adds little to the discussion.
Tourism has shifted to higher levels of performance. Businesses that failed to adapt, or that operate in areas losing ground, report lower revenues compared with last year. This pattern cuts across sectors, with contrasts visible everywhere.
The general consensus is that costs are rising—driven by inflation, higher wages following the introduction of the attendance card, and new tax obligations. These pressures are forcing many, particularly small labour-intensive enterprises, to reassess profitability.
Even so, airport and port arrivals confirm that Corfu remains an attractive destination, despite the fact that holidaymakers are now also spreading across to Albania’s opposite coast—a trend likely to strengthen once Vlora’s new international airport opens.
Meanwhile, Corfu itself is changing: international, vertically integrated tourism groups and retail chains are expanding on the island, setting new standards. For local businesses, the rise of capital-intensive competition poses a real threat, often leaving them outside the emerging model.
GIORGOS KATSAITIS
