More than 700 cruise liners will sail the Greek seas this year, Shipping and Island Policy Minister Ioannis Plakiotakis stated last week, addressing an event at the port of Lavrio, on the occasion of the formal start of Celestyal Cruises itineraries with the Celestyal Olympia liner.

 “Based on the data available, there will be over 700 cruise ships in the Aegean. More than 570 of them will be homeporting in Greece, and the rest will be transiting,” said the minister.

“2022,” he added, “will be a year of financial expansion for the cruise sector, which will considerably strengthen the local economies, contributing at the same time to the increase of tourism flows.”

He went on to assert that both his ministry and the Tourism Ministry “have taken all necessary initiatives to ensure the smooth restarting of the market, while promoting significant interventions in infrastructure works for cruise tourism and yachting in Greece.”

Plakiotakis further noted that “in a period of international crisis and restructuring, Greece constitutes a perfectly safe destination, an international destination with excellent climate conditions and of course the traditional Greek hospitality.”

This article was previously published at ekathimerini.com.