英语学习网

Study English at Home

首页 | 托福(TOEFL) | 雅思(IELTS) | GMAT | GRE | 签证/留学/移民 | 工作求职 | 英语资料 | 英语作文 | 英语考试 | 英语听力 | 英语口语
当前位置:首页 > GRE > 正文
Greece hopes to cash in on Olympic success
文章来源: 文章作者: 发布时间:2006-05-23 字体: [ ]

Roger Wilkison

 

 Listen to this story

Greece's tourism minister says he thinks universal praise for his country's successful staging of the Olympic Games will attract more international visitors to Greece and reverse a downturn in tourist arrivals over the past three years. Greece is seeking to diversify its appeal to tourists and lessen its dependence on mainly northern European sun-seekers.

Greece had 12 million visitors last year, but Tourism Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos wants to see that figure rise to 20 million by the year 2010.

In a country where tourism accounts for 18 percent of the economy and employs 800,000 people, Mr. Avramopoulos is launching a plan to attract a wider range of visitors in future years. He wants Greece to promote its cultural treasures, but he also is seeking to portray the country as an ideal place to hold conventions, now that it has proven that it can organize big events like the Olympics.

Since Greece adopted the euro, the European single currency, three years ago, it has struggled to remain competitive as a sun-seeker's destination with cheaper Mediterranean competitors like Turkey, and the number of visitors has declined. But Mr. Avramopoulos told reporters through an interpreter this week that, even though the number of arrivals for the Olympics is less than expected, the boost the Games has given to Greece's image has already been translated into increased bookings next month.

"We do not have the expected number of visitors," he said. "However, it must be said that vis-à-vis other European countries, Greece is doing better. In the first 4 months of this year, we had fewer visitors but higher revenues, 4 or 5 percent in excess of last year's revenue. The Olympic Games themselves, in conjunction with other events, do, of course, advertise Greece, and, I think to prove that, in September we will, in fact, have a lot of tourists."

The Greek tourism minister says a combination of high prices and security concerns have kept many people away from the Olympics. But he says the average tourist seeking sun and relaxation is different from the Olympic spectator, whose sole focus is on the sporting events.

Mr. Avramopoulos says he also thinks Athens, which used to be a way-station for tourists on their way to the Greek islands, will now become a year-round destination for foreign visitors. The capital, once dirty and chaotic, has been totally transformed. It is now clean, user-friendly and well-organized and boasts a brand new and efficient public transportation system.

Vocabulary:
 

downturn: a worsening of business or economic activity (低迷时期)


↑返回顶部 打印本页 关闭窗口↓
用户名: 新注册) 密码: 匿名评论 [所有评论]
评论内容:(不能超过250字,需审核后才会公布,请自觉遵守互联网相关政策法规。
§最新评论:
推荐文章
·GRE考试时间,Gre考试报名时间,G
·什么是GRE,Gre考试简介,GRE介绍
·GRE考试作文点评:满分作文的解
·GRE单词记忆方法全攻略
·在职GRE心声:为我的GRE划一个句
·GRE战记--给那些需要快速突破的
·GRE考试科技类Issue写作的小总结
·六大“心理障碍”影响GRE拿高分
热点文章
·什么是GRE,Gre考试简介,GR
·GRE考试时间,Gre考试报名
·20条背GRE单词的经验
·留学美国也可不考GRE
·GRE考试资料总结及其介绍
·GRE作文核心句型
·GRE四十天复习计划
·我用二十天时间 轻松搞定G
英语学习
·GRE考试时间,Gre考试报名
·什么是GRE,Gre考试简介,GR
·留学美国也可不考GRE
·20条背GRE单词的经验
·GRE作文核心句型
·GRE最后阶段复习的注意事
·GRE考前最后冲刺复习安排
·GRE考试资料总结及其介绍
www.0641.com 英语学习网