Greece registers record tourism revenue despite forest fires

Greece's tourism receipts grew by 16.5% last year and hit a new record despite a heat wave and devastating forest fires.
Tourism revenues reached 20.6 billion euros, and the number of tourists increased by about 20% to 36 million, according to data from the Greek central bank.
Like many regions in the Mediterranean, Greece experienced a prolonged summer heat wave last year that killed 20 people and burned nearly 175,000 hectares (430,000 acres) of land to ashes.
In July, at the height of the heat wave, around 20,000 people were evacuated from the island of Rhodes due to forest fires.
Tourism accounts for roughly a fifth of Greece's gross domestic product (GDP), but over-tourism and inflated prices on many Greek islands have recently become controversial issues.
Greek authorities have introduced measures to limit the number of visitors to the Acropolis in Athens. /BGNES