Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

4TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

“DESTINATION MANAGEMENT & MARKETING: TWO STRATEGIC TOOLS TO ENSURE QUALITY

TOURISM”

16-17 September 2008Bordeaux, France

The Case of Athens

Manolis Psarros, Tourism Development Director

The Impact of the Olympics

on Tourism

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of Athens

Olympics & Tourism: What experts say?

Pere Duran, General Director of the Turisme de BarcelonaConsortium

“There can be no doubt that the OlympicGames mark a “before and after” as faras tourism in Barcelona is concerned”.

Barcelona had over doubled its overnight stays from 1992 to 2006.

Christopher Brown the Managing Director of Australia’sTourism & Transport Forum

“There's [fewer] tourists five yearsafter the Games than before”.

Following the 2000 Olympics, visitors to Sydney declined for three years in a row

What about Athens?

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of AthensForeign Tourist Arrivals (in millions) at Athens International Airport

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of Athens

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

City CentreGreater City AreaMetropolitan area

Tourist arrivals (in millions) in all types of accommodation (2000 – 2007)

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of Athens

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of AthensBednights (in millions) in hotel establishments (2000 – 2007)

City of Athens Greater City AreaCity of Athens

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

City Centre Metropolitan areaGreater City Area

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of Athens

Occupancy Rates (2000 – 2007)

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

The 2004 Summer Olympic Games

Paris

Belgrade

Barcelona

Madrid

Athens

Average Length of Stay

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of Athens

Average Length of Stay

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of Athens

Average Room Rate & Revenue Per Available Room

Average Room Rate (€)Average Room Rate (€)

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of Athens

Visitor Numbers (attractions)

Acropolis & Surrounding area

Museums (all)

Archeological Sites (all)

Sites & Museums (all)

Acropolis & Surrounding area

Museums (all)

Acropolis & Surrounding area

Sites & Museums (all)Museums (all)

Acropolis & Surrounding area Archeological Sites (all)

Sites & Museums (all)Museums (all)

Acropolis & Surrounding area Archeological Sites (all)

Sites & Museums (all)Museums (all)

Acropolis & Surrounding area

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of Athens

Very positive impactNo impact at allVery negative impact

From your point of view, what impact did the 2004 Olympic Games have on the image of Athens as a tourist destination?

greater How do you expect that demand for trips to Athens will evolve?greatergreatergreater

Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for trips to Athens among your customers has been:

greater

the same

lowerincrease

stay the same

decrease

How do you expect that demand for trips to Athens will evolve?

increase

stay the same

decrease

Tour Operators’ Survey

Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for trips to Athens among your customers has been:

lower

Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for trips to Athens among your customers has been:

the same

lower

Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for trips to Athens among your customers has been:

greater

the same

lower

Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for trips to Athens among your customers has been:

greater

the same

lower

Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for trips to Athens among your customers has been:

greater

Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for trips to Athens among your customers has been:

lowergreater

Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for trips to Athens among your customers has been:

the same

lowergreater

Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for trips to Athens among your customers has been:

the same

lowergreater

Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for trips to Athens among your customers has been:

increase

stay the same

decrease

How do you expect that demand for trips to Athens will evolve?

increase

stay the same

decrease

How do you expect that demand for trips to Athens will evolve?

increase

stay the same

decrease

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of AthensKey factors brought by the Olympics

• monumental mega-infrastructure improvements• general overhaul of hotels and new class of accommodations

• improvements in the city’s urban setting • aesthetic Improvements to Athens’ classic architecture

• a greener, cleaner Athens

Key factors brought by the Olympics

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Did you know?AIA is considered one of Europe’s best. Recipient of numerous awards and aggressive in increasing business and leisure travel to Athens.

More and moreInternational commercial flights and LCCs are coming into AIA.

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Athens International Airport

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Athens International Airport

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

New Metro stations act as mini-museums.

Did you know?

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of Athens

Athens’ urban planning Incorporates art, culture and technology

Athens Today - Success Factors:

The Metro

Athens Today - Success Factors:

The Metro

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Gaining Global Recognition through Reinvention of the Building Image: Athens

New roads offer alternative routes and eased traffic congestion in the Athens and Attica region

Athens’ urban planning works around it’s topography

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Attiki Odos

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Attiki Odos

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Athens Today - Success Factors:

The Tram

Athens Today - Success Factors:

The Tram

Tram acts as a transportation link between Athens historic centre & the coastline

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Marinas

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

2004: Badminton StadiumToday: Badminton Theatre with top-notch shows events & concerts

2004: Tae Kwon Do StadiumToday: Faliron PavillionHousing trade, and cultural events and shows such as Peter Pan on Ice, City Break Expo in June 2007

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Utilization of Stadiums

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Utilization of Stadiums

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens•The 2004 Summer Olympics

•Euroleague Basketball Final Four -2007

•Champions League Final -2007•PanEuropean Beach Soccer Championship 6-2007

•IAAF World Cup 2006

•World Canoe Kayak Slalom Championships

•Beach Soccer Championships -- 2007

•SWATCH – FIVB Beach Volley Championships 2006

•David Copperfield Show

•St. Petersburg State Ice Ballet

•Handball World Championships

•Madonna’s Concert

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Show Must Go On!

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of AthensBeautified the area surrounding the Acropolis into Europe’s largest archaeological park (4.7 km /3 miles wide).

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Unification of Archaeological Sites

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Before After

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Unification of Archaeological Sites

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Onassis House of Arts & Letters

Marina DevelopmentMetro ExpansionNew Acropolis Museum

Athens: Future Urban Development

• New Metro Stations

• The Acropolis Museum

• The Votanikos Project

• Marina Development

• New Cultural &

Entertainment Venues

Athens Today - Success Factors:

Future Urban Development

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Main Benefits to the City & its Citizens

• Personal Pride for the Individual

• Capitalize on the emotional factor of each citizen to feel the pride of their new city. • Athenians and Greeks throughout the world were proud of the successful Olympics Games

• Quality of Life - New Services

• Infrastructure: New highways, new metro, new airport, stadiums have all overhauled the way an Athenian and visitor to Athens experiences the city

• Upgraded Tourism Product

• From Hub to the Greek islands to City Break destination• New Airport withstands more arrivals• Renovation of hotel accommodations• New Cultural Attractions• Stadiums are now hosting major sporting and cultural events

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Positive Exposure around the world

Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

Olympics & Tourism: The Case of Athens

Thank You