Manolis Psarros Presentation on the Impact of the Olympics on Athens Tourism (UNWTO, Destination Management Conference, Bordeaux, France, 2008)

1. The Impact of the Olympics
on Tourism
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
The Case of Athens
Manolis Psarros,
Tourism Development Director
4TH INTERNATIONAL
CONFERENCE
“DESTINATION MANAGEMENT & MARKETING:
TWO STRATEGIC TOOLS TO ENSURE QUALITY
TOURISM”
16-17 September 2008
Bordeaux, France

2. Olympics & Tourism:
The Case of Athens
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, Whatwill come: The Case of Athens
Olympics & Tourism: they experts say?
Pere Duran, General Director of Christopher Brown the
the Turisme de Barcelona Managing Director of Australia’s
Consortium Tourism & Transport Forum
“There can be no doubt that the Olympic “There's [fewer] tourists five years
Games mark a “before and after” as far after the Games than before”.
as tourism in Barcelona is concerned”.
Barcelona had over doubled its overnight Following the 2000 Olympics, visitors to
stays from 1992 to 2006. Sydney declined for three years in a row
What about Athens?

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

4. Olympics & Tourism:
The Case of Athens
Tourist arrivals (in millions) in all types of accommodationThe Case of Athens
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: (2000 – 2007)
City Centre
Greater City Area
Metropolitan area

5. Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The2007) of Athens
Bednights (in millions) in hotel establishments (2000 – Case
City of Athens Greater City Area

6. Olympics & Tourism:
The Case of Athens
Olympics & Tourism: If Occupancy Rates (2000will come: The Case of Athens
you do them well, they – 2007)
City Centre Greater City Area Metropolitan area

7. Olympics & Tourism:
The Case of Athens
Average Length of Stay
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games
Average Length of Stay
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
Paris
Belgrade
Barcelona
Madrid
Athens

8. Olympics & Tourism:
The Case of Athens
Average Room Rate & Revenue Per Available Room
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
Average Room Rate (€)

9. Olympics & Tourism:
The Case of Athens
Visitor Numbers (attractions)
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
Acropolis & Surrounding area Archeological Sites (all)
Museums (all) Sites & Museums (all)

10. Olympics & Tourism:
The Case of Athens
Tour Operators’ Survey
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
From your point of view, what impact did the 2004 Olympic Games have on the image of Athens as a
tourist destination?
Very negative impact No impact at all Very positive impact
Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for
greater
Since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, the trend for How do you expect that demand for trips to Athens will
How do you expect that demand for trips to Athens will
greater
trips to Athens among your customers has been:
trips to Athens among your customers has been: evolve?
evolve?
decrease
decrease
lower
lower increase
increase
lower
lower decrease
greater
greater increase
the same
the same
the same
the same
the same stay the
stay the
same
same
stay the
same

11. Olympics & Tourism:
Key factors brought by the Olympics Case of
The Athens
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
• 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

12. Athens Today - Success Factors:
Athens International Airport
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
More and more
International commercial
flights and LCCs are
coming into AIA.
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.

13. Athens Today - Success Factors:
Olympics & Tourism:
The Metro The Case of Athens
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
Did you know?
New Metro stations act as
mini-museums.
Athens’ urban planning Incorporates art,
culture and technology

14. Gaining Global Recognition through Reinvention of the Building Image: Athens
Athens Today - Success Factors:
Attiki Odos
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
New roads offer alternative routes
and eased traffic congestion in the
Athens and Attica region
Athens’ urban planning works around it’s topography

15. Athens Today - Success Factors:
The Tram
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
Tram acts as a transportation link between
Athens historic centre & the coastline

16. Athens Today - Success Factors:
Marinas
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

17. Athens Today - Success Factors:
Utilization of Stadiums
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
2004: Tae Kwon Do Stadium
Today: Faliron Pavillion
Housing trade, and cultural events and
shows such as Peter Pan on Ice, City
Break Expo in June 2007
2004: Badminton Stadium
Today: Badminton Theatre with top-
notch shows events & concerts

18. Athens Today - Success Factors:
Show Must Go On!
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case Summer Olympics
•The 2004 of Athens
•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

19. Athens Today - Success Factors:
Unification of Archaeological Sites
Beautified the area surrounding
the Acropolis & Tourism:largest
Olympics into Europe’s If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
archaeological park (4.7 km /3
miles wide).

20. Athens Today - Success Factors:
Unification of Archaeological Sites
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
Before After

21. Athens Today - Success Factors:
Athens: Future Urban Development
Future Urban Development
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
• New Metro Stations
• The Acropolis Museum
• The Votanikos Project
• Marina Development
• New Cultural &
Entertainment Venues
Onassis House of Arts & Letters
New Acropolis Museum Metro Expansion Marina Development

22. Main Benefits to the City & its Citizens
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens
• 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

23. Positive Exposure around the world
Olympics & Tourism: If you do them well, they will come: The Case of Athens

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