This snapshot provides an overview of Alexandroupolis’s hotel market, the regional capital of Evros Prefecture, due to its favorable location, Alexandroupolis is an important port and commercial center of northeastern Greece.

Evros Prefecture is located in the north-eastern part of Greece in the natural boundary of the country with Bulgaria to the north and Turkey to the east.

To the West it borders with the prefecture of Rodopi, access to which is possible via the Egnatia Odos Highway and to the south it lies on the coast of the Thracian Sea (part of the North Aegean Sea).

Over the last decade, the tourism sector has recorded significant development while several investments related to the hotel industry have materialized in the area.

Alexandroupolis is the capital of the Evros Prefecture with a population of about 58,000 inhabitants (2011 census) and one of the newest cities in Greece as the modern city was founded in the middle of the 19th century featuring a sophisticated street plan.

The city, although located close to the borders, is considered one of the most vivid places in northern Greece as it has strong economic activity and increased traffic due to its modern infrastructure and its proximity to the two neighboring countries of Bulgaria and Turkey.

Tourism

Accessibility

With its strategic position, at crossroads of sea and land routes, Alexandroupolis connects Europe and Asia and is the first Greek city to be encountered when crossing the Turkish and the Bulgarian borders.

Since the 1990s large investments materialized in the region by the Greek government together with the European Union, aimed at making the region more accessible and attractive to businesses and tourists, including improvements in infrastructure and transport by road, rail, air, and sea.

Unfortunately, much of these efforts have recently been negated by the Greek economic crisis which has hit the region hard, particularly with the closure of international rail connections via Bulgaria and Turkey, and the cancellation of ferry services to islands.

However, it is still considered to be one of the most important national transportation hubs as it is accessible by all means of transport. The city’s notable infrastructure consists of its modern international port which current authorities try to improve in order to accept bigger volumes of commercial and tourist ships, the Egnatia Odos Highway, and the railway that links Alexandroupolis to all other major Greek cities to the west. All of the above turn the city into a commercial hub and create the right conditions for further development in the future.

Daily bus routes connect Alexandroupolis with the cities of Komotini, Xanthi, Kavala, Thessaloniki, Athens, and other areas within the prefecture of Evros. In addition, rail routes connect the city with Thessaloniki, passing from Komotini, Xanthi, Drama, Serres, and Kilkis.

There is also an international airport located seven kilometers from the city center which handles daily flights to and from Athens and weekly flights to and from Crete and Lesvos. During the summer there have been efforts to add seasonal flights to and from Germany and Russia. The harbor is mainly used for commercial purposes (passenger traffic is limited to some connections with the islands of the northern Aegean and the island of Samothrace just south of the city.

City’s Attractions

Alexandroupolis is a rather small but charming place with interesting sights to visit inside the city, plenty of beaches located at a short distance, and many regions of outstanding natural beauty. The main attractions of the prefecture and the city in particular are described below:

The protected forest of Dadia, one of the few places in Europe where wildlife is maintained and protected and where endangered species of birds find refuge;

The Evros River Delta is a wetland of international importance protected by the RAMSAR Convention. More than 350 different kinds of plants have been recorded both in this area and in the area along the river. The park is of international importance for eight of its plant species and 69 of its vertebrate fauna;

The Town of Soufli is specially known for the silk industry that flourished there during the 19th century. It is of great historical importance and its architectural character makes a visitor easily distinguish the traditional Thracian architecture;

The City of Didimoticho with its Byzantine castles, galleries, and the Bayezid Mosque;

The Town of Feres, at the borders with Turkey and within a short distance from the mouth of the Evros River, which hosts one of the most important Byzantine monuments in Greece; the monastery of Panagia Kosmosotira founded in 1151;

The Pomak villages Goniko and Roussa with their traditional architecture and pre-historic rock paintings;

The landmark of Alexandroupolis is a 27-meter tall lighthouse located in the very center of the city, built in 1880;

Other important buildings in the city are the Zarifeios Teachers College, one of the oldest neoclassical buildings and the Church of St. Nicholas;

Alexandroupolis features three museums: the Ecclesiastical Museum, where visitors can experience the tradition and the history of the Eastern and Northern Thrace, the Flora and Fauna Museum of Evros Delta, and the Natural History Museum which gives visitors a picture of biodiversity and unique ecosystems that exist in the region and are protected by international law;

The Casino Thraki is located in the city of Alexandroupolis only two kilometers away from the city center. It opened in February 2014 after its relocation from the city of Xanthi where it was operating since 1995. It belongs to the same group operating also the casinos in Corfu and Patras (Rio) and together they represent 30% of the total casinos located in Greece. The Casino Thraki operates within the premises of Alexander Beach Hotel, which is one of the three five-star hotels in Alexandroupolis and �" although it is a small provincial establishment �" it is quite luxurious, offering a wide range of games and activities;

Alexandroupolis features 25 kilometers of coastline along which visitors can find numerous beaches with a large variety of services and amenities for leisure purposes. Two of them, the beaches of “EOT” and “Kiani Akti”, are awarded with the Blue Flag, a world-renowned eco-label for beaches.

Trading Activity

Apart from the attractions of Alexandroupolis, which are mainly visited by leisure travelers, special note should be made to the commercial activity of the city, as a very large traffic volume stems from business activities.

The city also boasts a strong trading activity with shops and businesses that cover all sectors of the production chain. It has well-developed transport and logistics sector due to its strategic position and the existence of many relevant infrastructures.

In particular, the port of Alexandroupolis is among the busiest in northern Greece and the planned connection to the railway line in the near future creates even more prospects for the city. Some of the most important industrial enterprises of Alexandroupolis region are the "Flourmills Thrakis", "Yfantis" (food industry), and "Akritas" (wood processing industry).

Figure 1: Arrivals By Air

Source: Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority

Arrivals at Alexandroupolis port have witnessed significant decrease from 2009 onwards which can be mainly attributed to the shrinkage of domestic disposable income as the port mainly serves domestic arrivals.

In 2013 it was the first time after three consecutive years of deceleration that positive results were recorded but growth remained low. In 2014 arrivals increased by 4.3% while 2015 ended with negative results as there was a slight drop of 1.9%.

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